Patricia  A. (Luther) Brooks – 93, of North Reading, died at her home on Wednesday, July 10, 2024. She was the beloved wife of the late James W. Brooks, Sr.

Born in Medford, MA on November 13, 1930. She was the daughter of the late George P. and Mildred W. (Krohn) Luther. She was a graduate of Dorchester High School and Katharine Gibbs Secretarial School.

Pat worked as a secretary for the Green Grove Convalescent Home in North Reading and for the General Electric Company.

She was a resident of North Reading for the past 67 years and an active member of St. Theresa’s Church, where she served as a Eucharistic Minister. Pat loved traveling and playing cards with her friends.

Family members include her daughter, Deborah Hall and her husband Jeff; sons, James W. Brooks, Jr. and his wife Maureen and George Brooks and his wife Nancy; 9 grandchildren and 6 great grandchildren.

Her funeral will be held from the Croswell Funeral Home, 19 Bow Street, North Reading on Tuesday, July 16 at 9:15 AM, followed by a 10:30 AM Funeral Mass at St. Theresa’s Church, 63 Winter Street, North Reading. Calling hours will be held on Monday, July 15 from 4:00 to 7:00 PM. Interment will be in Riverside Cemetery in North Reading.

Memorial donations may be made in her memory to the charity of one’s choice.www.croswellfuneralhome.com

Steven A. Gallant – 65, – of North Reading, died Sunday, June 30, 2024, at the Kaplan Family Hospice House in Danvers.

Born in Dighton, MA on April 9, 1959, he was the son of the late Arthur E. and Dorothy M. (Barry) Gallant. He graduated from North Reading High School, Class of 1977 and later received an Associate’s Degree from New England College. Steven resided in North Reading most of his life. He worked in the building trades for many years, his last employment was  Foreman at Paglia Plastering.

Steven was a kind, caring and generous person to all his family and friends. He was an avid motorcyclist. He loved the outdoors and enjoyed traveling, he had visited most of the National Parks across the country, hiking, exploring and taking pictures. Zion was his favorite.

Steven was very proud of his son Michael who was the joy of his life, they had been working on a goal of traveling to all the Major League Baseball Parks in the U.S.  Steven also loved hockey, they attended many Bruins games together with friends.

He is survived by his loving son Michael C. Gallant of Stoneham; his brothers Michael  of Ft. Lauderdale, FL and Mark of North Reading; his sister Dawn  and her husband Larry George of North Reading; also many aunts, uncles and cousins.

Arrangements by the Croswell Funeral Home, 19 Bow Street, North Reading. Services were private. A Celebration of Stevens’ life will be held at a later date. Memorial donations may be made in his memory to: American Cancer Society P.O. Box 6704 Hagerstown, MD 21741.

www.croswellfuneralhome.com

Robert F. Swenson – 72, of Pickens, South Carolina, formerly of North Reading and North Andover, died on June 17, 2020, in Easley, South Carolina.

He was born in Stoneham, MA on September 4, 1947.  He was the son of the late Alfred A. and Isabelle C. (Millar) Swenson. He was raised and attended school in North Reading.

Robert was a U.S. Marine Corps Veteran of the Vietnam Conflict, he served at age 17, from 1965 to 1969. He was a Lance Corporal and he received the Purple Heart Medal in combat.

When he came back from serving in Vietnam for the U.S. Marines, he worked for the Hood Milk Company and then he bartended for the Horseshoe Restaurant in North Reading for a number of years. His nickname was  midnight.

He was loved for his humor and had an infectious laugh. He had a great voice to sing his favorite country songs with any Gordon Lightfoot song, especially playing his Harmonia to the Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald. He loved bowling and was on the TV show Candlepins for Cash in the late 70’s and early eighties. He said on the show, “I work for Hood Milk and I have the longest route in town”. He also  played in the  North Reading Men’s Softball League for several years.

He loved the outdoors, fishing, golfing, BBQ’s  and he loved to garden and grow his own fruits and vegetables. He was very proud to serve our country. He especially loved animals, over the years he had many dogs and too many cats to count.

Family members include his sons, Ryan Legrow and his wife Patricia and Robert Swenson, Jr.; daughters, Amy Swenson and Sara Swenson; his sister Helen M. (Swenson) McNabola; grandchildren, Heather, Emma, Ryan and Aiden, Denise Risacher and Casey Riviera; great grandchildren, Grace and Brayden. He was the brother of the late Alfred and Thomas Swenson.

Calling hours will be held at the Croswell Funeral Home, 19 Bow Street, North Reading on Friday morning, July 12 from 9:30 to 11:30 AM, followed by a graveside service in Riverside Cemetery, North Reading at 11:50 AM. Memorial donations may be made in his memory to the charity of one’s choice. www.croswellfuneralhome.com

John Puglia – 81, passed away on Monday, June 17, 2024 in his home in North Reading.  He attended Reading High School and later North Reading High School when the town opened its first high school.  While in school he participated in sports and was a member of the first North Reading Hornets football team.  He also met the love of his life Joan Puglia whom he married in 1964 and celebrated 60 years of marriage earlier this year.  He attended Lowell Tech (now UMASS Lowell)  where he received a degree in electrical engineering.  He served 2 years in the National Guard before embarking on a 40 year career of engineering and later as a sales director for Cooper Power Systems.

John had a gift for all things mechanical.  He loved to work on cars and household projects for family and friends.  He was a devoted family man and raised his two sons in North Reading where he was always active helping them and their friends along the way.  He had a love for football and enjoyed watching his sons play as well as later enjoying the Patriots dynasty.  He is survived by his loving wife of 60 years Joan Puglia.  Also survived by his 2 brothers, Kenneth and Carl Puglia; his sister Laurice Haines and his 2 sons and daughters-in-law, Michael and wife Dawn of Reading and Matthew and his wife Megan of North Reading.  He is also survived by 5 grandchildren, Katelyn and Lauren of Reading and Jason, Brooke and Makenna of North Reading.

Calling hours are 9:30-11:00 AM on Monday June 24, 2024 at Croswell Funeral Home in North Reading, followed by a service at 11:00 AM. Interment will be in Riverside Cemetery in North Reading. Memorial donations may be made in his memory to the charity of one’s choice. www.croswellfuneralhome.com

Frances Mary Cheney – 77, of Wakefield and formerly of North Reading, died Tuesday, June 18, 2024 at the Lahey Hospital and Medical Center in Burlington.

Born in Chelsea, MA on October 8, 1946, Frances was the loving daughter of the late Frank and Mary (Kalkanajian) Stanuchenski. She was a graduate of North Reading High School, Class of 1964 and later attended Salem State.

Frances was an Aerospace Quality Control Inspector for many years, she retired in 2014. She was an active member of St. Theresa’s Church in North Reading, where she was a Eucharistic Minister, sang in the choir, and worked in the Rectory. She volunteered at many church and town events.

Frances also worked for the Sawtelle Family Hospice House in Reading for 22 years and later did Private Home Care. She was a member of the Quannapowitt Players in Reading, Council on Aging in North Reading and Wakefield, the Land Utilization in North Reading.

Frances had such a passion for life and happiness. She was very kind, generous, and always reaching out to anyone who needed help. She loved her family ever so much and thoroughly enjoyed hosting dinner parties at her home monthly. She also loved to travel all over, particularly to Europe, Hawaii, the islands and Mexico. Frances could frequentlytrffvgh be found at the beach, on the boat, taking a motorcycle ride, or at events in town. She also loved the theatre, ballets, opera, hot air balloons and so much more. She especially loved her Yellow 2002 Thunderbird Classic and going to car shows. She has been a resident of Wakefield for the past 12 years.

Family members include her loving husband, Philip Goddard; her son, James C. Cheney, Sr.; her brother, Wayne Stanuchenski; her grandchildren, Christopher James Cheney, Kathleen Rose Cheney and James Christopher Cheney, Jr., and other loved extended family members.

Her Funeral Mass will be held on Tuesday, June 25 at 10:30 AM at St. Theresa’s Church, 63 Winter Street, North Reading. Please go directly to church. Calling hours will be held on Monday, June 24 from 4:00 to 8:00 PM at the Croswell Funeral Home, 19 Bow Street, North Reading. Interment will be in Riverside Cemetery in North Reading. www.croswellfuneralhome.com