John  N. Arvanites  – 93, of North Reading, formerly of Lowell, MA, died Friday, November 24, 2017 at Winchester Hospital. He was the beloved husband of the late Mary Ann V. (Nuccio) Arvanites.

Born in Lowell, MA on October 23, 1924, he was the son of the late Nicholas J. and Bessie V. (Stamatopoulos) Arvanites, he was the youngest of six children.  John attended Lowell High School and was Captain of his Basketball team and they defeated Somerville in his Senior year, he received a basketball Scholarship to Villanova University, but during the last day of May in 1943, in his Senior year, he was drafted and left to serve his country.

He was a U.S. Army Veteran of World War II, he was a Buck Sergeant in the Triple A Gun Battalion, he served in France, Germany and Belgium and participated in the Battle of the Bulge. After three years of service he was discharged in 1946.

In his early years John was part of the “Lowell Boys Club”, later to be called the YMCA for many years. This is where he fell in love with basketball. The Boys Club played a tournament in Chicago but unfortunately lost.

John lived in the West End in the 50’s. He was part of the “Bullgang”  From 1951 to 1958, he drove the Zamboni at the Old Boston Garden and saw many famous hockey and basketball players. He would joke that the rats were as big as dogs.

John later worked at the Crown Baking Company in Malden, which is where he met his wife Mary. John was a retired DPW Foreman for 27 years for the Town of North Reading and was Superintendent of the Cemetery Department. He was a hardworking man and gave his whole life to his family. He always had a sense of humor. John loved his grandchildren and was always humble and wise. He loved reading his daily newspaper and followed his Boston sports, he loved his Celtics, Bruins, Red Sox and BC Eagles, He enjoyed working in his garden and was an avid landscaper for over 40 years. He has been a resident of North Reading for the past 54 years.

Family members include his loving children, Stephanie Arvanites of Wakefield, Christine Dumont and her husband Randy of North Andover, Paula Melo and her late husband Fernando of North Reading, Nicholas Arvanites of Lynn and his girlfriend Leslie Condon and his late son Christopher Arvanites; he was the brother of the late George and Arthur “Duke”  Arvanites, Helen Plantamura, Millie Aceto and Penny Anastasopoulos; seven cherished grandchildren, Andrea Arvanites of Melrose, Christopher Desmond of Wakefield, Nicole Dumont of North Andover, twins, Ava and Sophia Melo of North Reading, Hayllee and Alessa Arvanites of Wakefield; brothers-in-law, Joseph Nuccio of Lynn and Louis Nuccio of Billerica and sister-in-law, Barbara Raftery of Everett; also loved by many nieces, nephews and cousins.

Funeral will be held from the Croswell Funeral Home, 19 Bow Street, North Reading on Friday, December 1 at 9:00 AM, followed by a 10:30 AM Funeral Mass at St. Theresa’s Church, 63 Winter Street (Rt. 62), North Reading. Calling hours will be held on Thursday, November 30 from 4 to 8 PM. Interment will be in Riverside Cemetery in North Reading. Memorial donations may be made in his memory to the charity of one’s choice.

Charles A. Anderson – 95, of North Reading and formerly of Plymouth, died Thursday, November 23, 2017 at Winchester Hospital. He was the beloved husband of the late Edith A. (Smith) Anderson. Charlie was a proud U.S. Army Veteran of World War II and was a POW for two years.

Born in Plymouth, MA on August 25, 1922, he was the son of the late Albion and Agnes (Johnson) Anderson. He attended Plymouth Schools and was a graduate of Plymouth High School in 1940. He also was a graduate of the General Electric Apprentice Program and worked as a Machine Cutting Tools Specialist for the General Electric Turbine Manufacturing Department at the Riverworks in Lynn for 44 years, retiring in 1984.

Charlie was a member of the D.A.V. Post No. 37 in Reading, the GE Apprentice Alumni Association and the GE Old Timers. He was an avid reader and he loved traveling to Newfoundland and Norway. He has been a resident of North Reading for the past fifty years.

He is survived by several nieces and nephews. He was the brother of the late Russell H. Anderson and Marie Amaral.

Funeral services will be held at the Croswell Funeral Home, 19 Bow Street, North Reading on Thursday, November 30 at 11 AM. Calling hours will be held prior to the service from 10 to 11 AM. Burial will be in Riverside Cemetery in North Reading. In lieu of flowers memorial donations may be made in his memory to the charity of one’s choice. www.croswellfuneralhome.com

Catherine V. (Witham) Birkmaier – 95, of Reading, formerly of North Andover and North Reading, died Saturday, November 4, 2017 at Winchester Hospital. She was the beloved wife of the late William B. Birkmaier.

Born in Ipswich, MA on December 18, 1921. She was the daughter of the late Zebulon and Annie (Comeau) Witham.

She was a graduate of Reading High School. She worked as a teacher’s aide and substitute teacher for the North Reading School System. Kay’s life was all about love for God family and friends. Her home was always open to all. Her children and grandchildren were the joys of her life. She enjoyed swimming, walking, gardening, watching the Red Sox and Patriots, playing cards, Scrabble and baking goodies for all. She was a member of St. Michael Church in North Andover and a former member of St. Theresa’s Church in North Reading, where she was a former CCD teacher for many years. Kay also was a Girl Scout Leader in North Reading.

Family members include sons, William Bradford Birkmaier, Jr., USN Retired and his wife Laura, the late Karl Joseph Birkmaier and his late wife Ursula Jezierski, the late Mark Hunter Birkmaier and his wife Kristin Davis; daughters, Lynne Heywood and her husband Ed, and Lori O’Rourke and her husband Jim;  sister, Pat Patterson Crosby, late brothers, Fred, Eddie and Charlie Witham; late sisters, Rose Chaput, Polly Baron, Alice Boudreau, Margaret Crosby and Louise Fortunato; grandchildren,  Sherry Eva Calderon, Cristina Maria Birkmaier, Kristen Sponring, Dr. Richard Heywood, Jonathan Heywood, Sacha Cote, Matthew Birkmaier, Pamela Boesch, Stephanie O’Rourke, Shannon O’Rourke;  great grandchildren, Oliver Butrymowicz, Nicolas and Luca  Calderon, Zachary, Joshua and Payton Sponring, Ella, Ned and Madison Heywood, Hunter Heywood, Dylan and Emma Cote, James and Ellinor Boesch.

Her Funeral Mass will be held on Monday, November 13 at 10:00 AM at St. Michael Church, 196 Main Street in North Andover. There will be no calling hours. In lieu of flowers memorial donations may be made in her memory to:  St. Michael Parish, 196 Main St., North Andover, MA 01845, North Reading Citizen’s Scholarship Foundation or Care Dimensions Hospice, 75 Sylvan St., Suite B-102, Danvers, MA 01923. Arrangements are by Croswell Funeral Home, 19 Bow Street, North Reading. www.croswellfuneralhome.com

Marie T. (Sousa) Lozzi  88, of Greenwood, formerly of North Reading and Wakefield, died Sunday, November 5, 2017 at the  Greenwood Nursing and Rehabilitation Center. She was the beloved wife of the late Feliciano P. Lozzi .

Born in Melrose, MA on March 22,1929, she was the daughter of the late Manuel F. and Marie E. (Peirira) Sousa. Marie was raised and attended school in Melrose.

Marie was a homemaker and dedicated to her family. She had a love for everyone and unconditional love. She enjoyed her Sunday dinners with the family. She loved her church, arts, crafts, bingo, music and dancing. She especially loved her grandchildren.

Family members include her sons, Philip Lozzi and wife Patricia of Reading, Daniel Lozzi and wife Yvonne of Malden; Michael Lozzi of Nebraska, Mark Lozzi and wife Lisa  of Topsfield; Joseph Lozzi and wife Laura of Kentucky; daughters, Renee Bladuell of Stoneham and Diane Forrest and husband John of Lynnfield; brothers, Daniel, Perry and Emund Sousa; she was the sister of the late Eugene, James, Manuel and Anthony Sousa and Ethel Collier. Also survived by 23 loving grandchildren, 35 great grandchildren, 2 great great grandchildren.

Funeral service at the Croswell Funeral Home, 19 Bow Street, North Reading on Thursday, November 9 at 10 AM, Calling hours will be on Wednesday, November 8 from 5 to 8 PM. Burial will be in Riverside Cemetery in North Reading. In lieu of flowers memorial donations may be made in her memory to Greenwood Nursing Home, 90 Greenwood St., Wakefield, MA 01880, Care of the Arts and Crafts Dept. www.croswellfuneralhome.com

Elizabeth A. “Betty” (Sullivan) Rodgers – 79, of North Reading and formerly of Reading, died at her home on Wednesday, November 1, 2017. She was the wife of the late Alan E. Rodgers.

Born in Reading, MA on March 27, 1938, she was the daughter of the late Charles H. and Mary B. (Doucette) Sullivan. Betty was raised in Reading and attended Reading Memorial High School. She worked as a Real Estate Agent, a nursing assistant in a North Reading nursing home and home care aide.

She had a love for her family her faith and the Lord.  She was a devoted wife and mother. She enjoyed family gatherings with siblings, children and grandchildren. She kept current with politics and political discussions. Betty was a resident of North Reading for the past 57 years and a member of the Trinity Evangelical Church for many years.

Family members include her sons, Gary Rodgers of North Andover, Steven Rodgers and his wife Kristin and Michael Rodgers and his partner Susan Fino, all of North Reading and her late daughter, Linda Rodgers; brothers, Ronald, Richard and Russell Sullivan, late brothers, Charles, Jr. and Robert Sullivan; sisters, Janet White and Marilyn Healey, late sisters, Dorothy Lunt, Elinor Dooley and Judith Akin; grandchildren, Alida Rodgers, Greg Rodgers, Vanessa Rodgers, Sarah Gillespie, Erika Toronto and great grandchildren, Emma, William, Gabriel, and Lincoln.

Visiting hours will be held at the Croswell Funeral Home, 19 Bow Street, North Reading, on Monday, November 6 from 5:00 to 8:00 PM. Her funeral will be held on Tuesday, November 7 at 10:00 AM at the Trinity Evangelical Church, 105 Haverhill Street in North Reading. Burial will be in Riverside Cemetery in North Reading. Memorial donations may be made in her memory to  Mystic Valley Elder Services, 300 Commercial Street, No. 19, Malden, MA 02148. www.croswellfuneralhome.com