Florence E. Rapone
LOWELL Florence E. (Pelletier) Rapone, 89, of Lowell, died peacefully at home with her loving family by her side, Wednesday, July 20, 2011. She was the wife of Leo J. Rapone, with whom she would have celebrated their Seventieth Wedding Anniversary this coming September.
Born August 1, 1921, in Lowell, she was a daughter of the late Ovide and the late Georgeanna (Giguere) Pelletier. She grew up in Lowell’s Little Canada Section of the City, attended St. Joseph’s Girls’ School, and graduated from Lowell High School, Class of 1938. She then graduated from Lowell Commercial College.
She made her lifelong home in Lowell, and was a communicant of St. Patrick’s Church. She was a member of the Nabnasset Women’s Golf Club and the Ladies Sodality of St. Patrick’s. She enjoyed playing cards, especially cribbage, was an avid golfer, and in her younger days, was a tournament winning golfer at The Nabnasset Country Club. Also in her younger days, along with her husband, she would enjoyed her Saturday nights dancing at Fletcher's in Westford.
Mrs. Rapone worked as an inspector for Raytheon Corp. in South Lowell for more than twenty seven years prior to her retirement. She had also kept the books for her husband’s business, Star Appliance on Gorham Street, for many years.
In addition to her husband, Leo, she is survived by her son, Leonard Rapone, retired Lowell Firefighter, and his wife, Michele, of Chelmsford; two daughters, Rita A. Ducharme of Dracut, and Louise Fortier of Lowell; twelve grandchildren, Heidi Lorden and her husband, Gary, of Townsend, Dawn Ann Gearin and her husband, Sean, of Townsend, Jessica Nobrega and her husband, Frank, of Dracut, Donald Ducharme of Dracut, Todd Ducharme and his wife, Kim, of Dracut, Toby Ducharme and his wife, Nancy, of Tyngsboro, Lenny Rapone of Chelmsford, Angela Parks and her husband, Jeff, of Chelmsford, Christina Rolfe and her husband, Edd, of Missouri, Jeremy Fortier and his wife, Karen, of Lowell, Angelica Rowell and her husband, Sean, of Dracut, Sean Fortier of Lowell; twenty great grandchildren; two brothers in law, Hector Berube of Dracut, Gus Rapone of Las Vegas, NV; a sister in law, Rita Shoemaker of Maine; her close friends, Bea Maher of Townsend, Shirley Schafer of Lowell, and Virginia Juknavorian and her husband, Richard ‘Muggy’, of Lowell, Michael and Marilyn Houston of Lowell and Patty and Ray Fournier & Family of Lowell, and several nieces and nephews.
She was also a sister of the late Fred Pelletier, the late Raymond Pelletier, the late Lucien Pelletier, the late Corrine Parent, the late Loretta Rochette, the late Irene Cambray, the late Alice Gomes and the late Claire Hastings.
LOWELL Florence E. (Pelletier) Rapone, 89, of Lowell, died peacefully at home with her loving family by her side, Wednesday, July 20, 2011. She was the wife of Leo J. Rapone and the mother of Leonard Rapone, Rita A. Ducharme and Louise Fortier. You are welcome to attend a Memorial Mass being offered in her name at 10 a.m. on Friday, August 12, 2011 at ST. PATRICK CHURCH on Suffolk Street in Lowell, MA. Arrangements by The McDonough Funeral Home, 14 Highland Street, Lowell, MA 978-458-6816. Please visit www.McDonoughFuneralHome.com at any time to send the family an e-condolence.
