Joseph G. Gigante – 89, of North Reading and formerly of Dorchester, died Wednesday, June 10, 2020 at the Lahey Hospital and Medical Center in Burlington.

Born in Boston, MA on March 18, 1931, he was the son of the late Gabriel and Rita (DeAngelosante) Gigante. He was a graduate of Charlestown High School, Class of 1948 and later attended Wentworth Institute in Boston.

He was a U.S. Air Force Veteran of the Korean War, he served from 1950 to 1956, he also served with the Army Air Corps from 1949 to 1950.

Joe was a retired Electrical Inspector for the Town of North Reading for many years and a retired Vice President of Burlington Engineering, a Division of Interstate Electrical Services in Billerica. He was also involved with the Hoist and Crane Industry. Joe was well known in the material handling business throughout New England.

He has been a resident of North Reading for the past 64 years and a member of St. Theresa’s Church. He was a former School Committee member for the Northeast Regional Metropolitan Regional School in Wakefield. Joe was a member of the North Reading Moose Lodge and served as a former Past Governor, he coached and umpired for the North Reading Little League and coached for the North Reading Youth Hockey League. Joe enjoyed being active in the North Reading Men’s Softball League where he coached for many years, he was a member of the North Reading Bowling League and was also an avid New England sports fan.

He was a loving husband, father and grandfather and would always be there to lend a helping hand to anyone.

Family members include his loving wife of 64 years, Jean M. (Muller) Gigante; his sons, Joseph Gigante and his wife Christine and Stephen Gigante and his wife Tamara DerAnanian; his daughter, Gemma Gigante Alvarez and her husband Bob; grandchildren, Casandra and Tianna Alvarez, Joseph and Michael Gigante; brothers, Dino Gigante and his wife Doris, Anthony Gigante and his wife Anne and his sister, Mary Cincotta.

Graveside services were held on Thursday, June 18 at 11:00 AM in Riverside Cemetery in North Reading. Memorial donations may be made in his memory to National Shrine of St. Jude Claretian Missionaries, 205 W. Monroe St., Chicago, IL 60606. Arrangements are by the Croswell Funeral Home, 19 Bow Street, North Reading. www.croswellfuneralhome.com

Florence “Bobbi” Confalone , 89 of North Reading, Ma. passed away on June 12, 2020. Born in Auburn, Me. on May 11, 1931. She was the daughter of the late Victor Beauparlant and Martha Montgomery. She was raised in Auburn, Me. She spent most of her adult life in Saugus and North Reading Ma. She had a long career as a waitress, but most of all as a homemaker. She loved her many pets she had through her life along with her gardening.   She loved going out to country line dancing with the girls and helping in the kitchen at the Lynnfield, Ma. Senior Center, but you could always find her out enjoying the pool with family & friends or just catching some sun for her famous tan. She is predeceased by her loving husband Joseph A. Confalone.   Survived by her family: daughter Jane Raymond of Greene, Me.; son Scot Carleton and wife Diane of Methuen, Ma., grandchildren Kimberly Shallow and husband Donnie of Fla., Derick Raymond and wife Shelley, Ehrin Raymond and Adam Raymond of Me; Zachary Carleton and Michael Carleton of   Ma.; great grandchildren Gavin and Gage Raymond of Me. The family has asked that there be no calling hours. A private family service will be held at Riverside Cemetery North Reading, Ma. In lieu of flowers, and in memory of Bobbi, the family request that memorial donations be made to the Alzheimer’s Association https:act.alz.org/donate   . Arrangements are by the Croswell Funeral Home, 19 Bow Street, North Reading, MA  www.croswellfuneralhome.com

Joseph G. Jesso, 79, passed away peacefully surrounded by his family at Exeter Hospital in Exeter, NH on May 4, 2020.

Born in Denver, Colorado, he was the son of the late Ethel (Fravel) Jesso and the late Joseph Francis Jesso. He was raised on a family ranch in Orton Flat, about 40 miles North West of Ft. Pierre, South Dakota, by his uncle Clifford Fravel and wife Phyllis Fravel. Joe rode his horse or walked to the one room schoolhouse through 8^th grade before moving to Rapid City to attend high school. Joe enlisted in the United States Navy in December 1957 at the age of 17 and left South Dakota. He was ultimately stationed on the USS Aeolus at the US Naval Submarine Yard in Portsmouth, NH. Joe met his bride to be, Carol Wedge and they were married 6 months later.

Joe is survived by his wife of 60 years and the love of his life and best friend, Carol (Wedge) Jesso; daughters, Jo-Ann Jesso-Freeman of Derry, NH, Jan (Jesso) Herlihy of Atkinson, NH, Jacqueline (Jesso) Batchelder and husband Herb Jr. of North Reading, MA and Jerri (Jesso) Johnston and Scott Vezina of Plaistow, NH; 13 grandchildren: Jessica Bent, Joseph Freeman, James Herlihy, Jonathan Herlihy, Ryan Carrigan, Joseph Lovell, Morgan Carrigan, Brian Freeman, Amy Freeman, Nicole Johnston, Samantha Carrigan, Victoria Johnston and Richard Johnston; 4 great grandchildren, Savannah Freeman, Sadie Bent, Hunter Herlihy and Paisley Lovell; Brothers Robert Jesso of Rapid City, South Dakota, Ken Lange of Box Elder, South Dakota; Aunt Phyllis Fravel of Orton Flat, South Dakota; and several cousins, nieces and nephews.

When Joe left the Navy, he went to work for his father-in-law Charlie Wedge in the oil business and driving school bus in North Reading, MA. Charlie sold the oil business and Joe went with the business to work for Country Gas Service (Eastern Propane) in Danvers, MA and in Rochester, NH where he worked for more than 30 years before going to work for Palmer Gas in Atkinson, NH where he worked for 10 plus years as their safety officer and where he retired from in 2015.

Joe was a US Navy veteran as well as a member of the Masons. He was also a member of the Hampstead, NH recreation department where he and Carol planned numerous trips for the Hampstead senior citizens. He and Carol enjoyed traveling as often as they could, seeing all parts of the country, and taking several cruises over the years to Hawaii, Alaska and several to the Caribbean, his favorite being Alaska. He and Carol enjoyed long rides all over the place, enjoying the sights and sounds of New England. Any day was a good day for a Sunday drive. Joe was a devoted husband and father. He taught his girls many things growing up, from using tools and how to fix things, to painting. He was always very involved and always supported his daughter’s sports and activities as they grew up, and as his grandchildren became active, he was always there watching them play sports or whatever activities they were involved in. He was a “super fan”.

Joe will always be known and remembered for his kind heart, caring and compassionate ways. He was always polite and kind to anyone he met and everyone who knew him would tell you he was a true gentleman. He was truly interested in what people had to say and had a way of immediately making people feel comfortable. He was well known for giving great hugs and having a strong, firm handshake. He had many stories to tell of growing up on the prairie of South Dakota and of his time in the Navy. Joe has said that he “wishes every child had the opportunity to live and work on a ranch or farm for at least one year of their life!” Growing up out on the Great Plains played a significant part in the values that Joe lived his life by. He had many wonderful and funny sayings or “Papaisms” as his grandchildren would call them. He would make everyone laugh when he would say one. Joe was a wealth of knowledge and his stories will be greatly missed.

ARRANGEMENTS: Due to the Covid pandemic, there will be a private burial at Riverside Cemetery in North Reading, MA at a date to be determined. A Celebration of Life will be held from 4 to 6 pm at Croswell Funeral Home, 19 Bow Street in North Reading, MA on Wednesday September 2, 2020 which would have been Joe’s 80^th birthday. We hope everyone who knew and loved Joe will help celebrate the beautiful, full and blessed life he lived. www.CroswellFuneralHome.com

Herbert L. Dukeshire, Jr. – 76, of North Reading and formerly of Somerville, passed away on Friday, May 29, 2020, at the Sawtelle Family Hospice House in Reading.

Born in Newport, Rhode Island on May 9, 1944. He was the son of the late Herbert L. and Mary L. (Carleton) Dukeshire.

Herb was a U.S. Army Veteran of the Vietnam War; he was a SP4 and served from 1965 to 1967.

He has been a resident of North Reading for the past 46 years. He had worked for many years as an outside salesman. Herb was known for his smile, warm heart and a keen sense of humor. He loved singing and dancing, classic cars, traveling throughout New England and he enjoyed attending plays.

Family members include his loving wife of 51 years, Janet E. (Bain) Dukeshire;   his daughters, Deborah M. Dukeshire and her partner Peter Janney of Westborough and Pamela A. (Dukeshire) Burton and her husband Matthew of Framingham.

Funeral services will be private, due to the COVID-19 situation. A memorial service will be held at a later date. In lieu of flowers memorial donations may be made in his memory to the North Reading Food Pantry or to the charity of one’s choice. Arrangements are by the Croswell Funeral Home, 19 Bow Street, North Reading. www.croswellfuneralhome.com

Edward G. Chandler – 91, of North Reading, formerly of Saugus, died unexpectedly on Wednesday, May 20, 2020. He was the beloved husband of 68 years to the late Jeanette M. Chandler, who died in 2018.

Born in Boston, MA on February 8, 1929. He was the son of the late Charles G. and Gladys (George) Chandler. He was a graduate Saugus High School, Class of 1948.

Edward was a U.S. Air Force Veteran of the Korean War, he was a Staff Sergeant in the 61st Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron and served from 1950 to 1954. He later joined the Coast Guard Auxiliary and was Flotilla Commander for many years.

Edward made his career in the airline industry, working as Director of Stations for Delta Express, World Airways, and Air New England, he was a former Winnipesaukee Airlines Executive Vice President and Maine Air Area Manager. He also worked for United Airlines, TWA, Piedmont, and Precision Airways.

He was the best of men, a true gentleman till the end. He had zest and vigor for life, always excited for the next great adventure. Ed always had a positive outlook and was a great role model, never focusing on negativity and striving for goodness and distinction.

He was an avid boater who enjoyed his speed boats and sailboats on Lake St. Claire, MI and Lake Winnipesauke, NH, and sailing his 23 foot O’Day named “Breezin” out of Winter Island in Salem, MA. He also liked flying remote controlled airplanes. In his younger years, Ed was a race winning cross country skier. He loved Lake Winnipesaukee and taking his family to his house on Alton Bay. He loved his pets, especially Calvin, his Shih Tzu.

He adored his family and his beloved wife, Jan, of 68 years. He was truly loved by his family and friends and anyone who had the pleasure of knowing him. He had a kind nature and would go out of his way to lend a helping a hand. He was so proud of his grandchildren.

He has been a resident of North Reading for the past 67 years. He was a member of the Church of the Good Shepherd in Reading, American Legion, Aero Club of N.E., Daniel Webster College Presidents Council, National Aeronautics Association and Logan Airlines Management Council.

Family members include his loving daughters, Janice Joubert and her husband Matthew and Susan Walden and her husband Ross; his late son, Michael Chandler; he was the brother of the late Robert and Sylvia Chandler. He was the loving grandfather of Jillian and Matthew Joubert, Chandler and Alice Walden. Also survived by many nieces and nephews.

Funeral services will be private, due to the current COVID-19 situation. In lieu of flowers memorial donations may be made in his memory to the charity of one’s choice.

Arrangements are by the Croswell Funeral Home, 19 Bow Street, North Reading. www.croswellfuneralhome.com