Maureen (Bennett) Peters -of Salisbury and formerly of North Reading passed away peacefully and surrounded by family in Boston on April 15, 2024, following a recurrence of cancer.

Maureen was born on April 15, 1950 in Scottsbluff, Nebraska to R. George and F. Marilyn Bennett.  After briefly living in Los Alamos, New Mexico, she was raised in Cambridge, Massachusetts, where she developed a lifelong fondness of Boston.  Maureen attended Cambridge Matignon School on scholarship and graduated in 1968.

In 1971, Maureen married the late Paul DiVasta and spent years as a proud Air Force wife living in Georgia and North Carolina.  She had two children with Paul: Brian and Melanie DiVasta.

In 1978, Maureen and Paul separated and she returned to the Boston area with two kids, a dog, and a cat to start over.  She eventually met and married Karl Peters in 1982 and settled in North Reading. Together, they had two sons, Chris and Mike Peters.  All four of Maureen’s children graduated from North Reading High School.

Maureen established a career working as a paraprofessional in the North Reading Public School District for over 20 years.  She found a calling in special education, where she touched the lives of countless children and families through her compassion and patience.

Maureen was a brilliant person, but never earned a college degree, instead prioritizing being a mother.  She had children under the age of 18 at home for 32 years of her life, and throughout her life they were her greatest source of joy and pride.  In return, her children could always count on Mom’s help and unconditional love even in their hardest times.

Later in life, Maureen was a loving “Nana” to Alexis, Nicholas, Sydney, and Adelyn, the oldest of whom Maureen lived to see graduate high school in 2023.  Taking her grandchildren on trips across the country, from Yellowstone National Park to South Dakota to meet their American Indian cousins, was a special joy in her later years.

After Maureen and Karl divorced in 2011, she set out on her own once more and settled in Salisbury.

Long walks at low tide on the state beach brought her comfort and peace amid challenging periods that included her mom’s passing in 2012 from cancer and Maureen’s own battles with cancer over the past several years.  Her hardest test came in Melanie’s unexpected passing in 2023, which Maureen faced with superhuman strength and grace.

She leaves a rich, loving legacy in her children and grandchildren that includes cherished Christmas traditions, a love of Boston, and a fondness for animals (especially cats).  More broadly, she leaves the example of how she lived: with perseverance through adversity, the capacity to always experience joy in life, and selflessly putting family first.

Maureen Peters is predeceased by her parents and, in addition to Melanie, by her baby Kim lost in childbirth in 1972.  She is survived by three children, four grandchildren, and siblings Philip and Judy Bennett and Carol Camp.

A funeral mass will be held on Saturday May 11th at 11:00am at St. Theresa’s Church in North Reading followed by a celebration of life reception in town.  In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in her name to the St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital and to the Merrimack River Feline Rescue Society.

WWW.CroswellFuneralHome.com

Theophilos ‘Theo’ Kuliopulos, -of North Reading passed away on April 14, 2024. Beloved husband of the late Mary (Terzis) Kuliopulos. Devoted father of Harriet Kuliopulos; Athan Kuliopulos and his wife Patricia Wyffels; Christos Kuliopulos and his wife Julie; and the late Paula Kuliopulos. Grandfather of Capri, Nikos and Colson.

Funeral service will be held on Saturday, April 20 at Sts. Constantine and Helen Greek Orthodox Church, 71 Chandler Rd., Andover at 11:30 a.m. Please go directly to the church. Visitation will be on Friday, April 19 at the Croswell Funeral Home, 19 Bow St., North Reading from 4 to 8 p.m. Relatives and friends are kindly invited to attend. In lieu of flowers, donations in Theo’s memory may be made to North Reading Parks and Recreation, 235 North St., North Reading 01864 The funds will be used to dedicate a Dawn Redwood Tree to Theo in the Ipswich River Park in North Reading. Interment in Riverside Cemetery, North Reading or to the above named church. For online guestbook, please visit croswellfuneralhome.com.

Shawn  M.  Clair – 36, of North Reading, died unexpectedly on Friday, April 5, 2024 at Winchester Hospital. Family members include his loving brother Joseph Lemieux and stepfather Robert K. Murch, both of North Reading. He was the loving son of the late Sheila I. (Donegan) Lemieux, who died this past January. Services will be private.

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Aldeane Reed Bennett – 81, (Aldeane Eleanor Reed), born in New London, CT on April 15, 1942 and married to Alan Bruce Bennett of 62 years, passed away peacefully surrounded by family at High Pointe Hospice House in Haverhill, Massachusetts on April 2, 2024.

She answered to many names: Deanie, Sis, Sistah, Mom, Mom Bennett, Mrs. B, Grandma, Mema, Auntie Dee, and friend.

As a child Deanie wanted nothing more than to be a devoted and loving wife and mother. She proudly embraced this role and accomplished that goal many times over; resuming that role whenever someone was sick and in need.

In her younger years, having grown up in Mystic, Connecticut, she could be found roller skating around Mystic. She graduated from Stonington High School. After she and Alan were wedded on August 19, 1961, they began raising a family. During the summer months she could be found taking her family to Wingaersheek Beach or Stage Fort Park in Gloucester… any excuse to have a picnic.

Family was her number one love; her first priority. Her friends became family, her children’s friends became family. Family gatherings meant picnics! As the wife of an Army soldier she lived in several locations around the country. None of that mattered so long as Alan and her children were beside her. In 1972 Deanie and Alan settled in North Reading, Massachusetts where they flourished and raised their four children; turning the house into a home full of love and memories.

She was a devoted member of the Aldersgate United Methodist Church, where she sang in the choir and enjoyed time with the other Church-Mom’s prepping for pot luck dinners or crafting for the church fair and beautifying the church at Christmas time with the annual “hanging of the greens”. She was a representative for Doll Face canvas bags and embroidery. She was supportive of her children’s Scouting activities. And lately, a member of the Wakefield-Lynnfield United Methodist Church.

Deanie’s hands were equally never idle. At a young age those hands learned to play the flute, knitted, macramed, sewed, quilted, baked and decorated cakes for many weddings and special occasions, shucked peas with her sisters-in-laws and mother-in-law, and crafted innumerable things with love.

She loved the beach, the ocean, sailing on the “VERANJO”, her yard, the gardens, the flowers and the wildlife, but, woe be to the woodchucks that crossed that fence line! She loved all aspects of yardwork (so long as Alan was there to clean up the piles).

As an animal lover it was only natural that she took up employment at the Animal Hospital of Wakefield as a receptionist where she worked for many years.

She is survived by her loving and devoted husband Alan Bennett; daughter, Lezlie and her husband Steven Gallagher; her three sons, Bruce and his wife Vicki, Andrew and his wife Ester, Matthew and his wife Meredith; her brother, Walter Reed III; her nine grandchildren, Elizabeth, Aaron. Adam, Elias, Kylie, Thora, Tristan, Ethan and Evelyn and her great grandchildren, Jack and Bennett.

Calling hours will be on Friday, April 26th at 10:00 AM at the Wakefield-Lynnfield United Methodist Church, 273 Vernon St., Wakefield, MA 01880 with an 11:00 AM service. Immediately following will be the burial of ashes at the Riverside Cemetery off Elm Street in North Reading.