Obituary: Blanche Gregoire, of Meriden, Conn.

Meriden, Conn. - Blanche Aline Comtois Gregoire, a resident of the Bradley Home, passed away on Sept. 1, 2012, while surrounded by her loving family.

Blanche was born Dec. 29, 1913, in St. Barthelemy, Quebec Canada, to Marie Frappier Comtois and Philias Comtois. She was a member of St. Laurent Church.

Blanche immigrated to Woonsocket, R.I. in 1926. She married Leo Gregoire on Aug. 5, 1933, and spent the next 27 years in the Woonsocket R.I. / Franklin Mass. area. In 1960 Blanche and her family moved to Brimfield, Mass., and in 1969 they moved to Meriden. After Blanche spent many years as a homemaker, she joined the workforce working as a secretary at Alamac Knitting Mills in Indian Orchard, Mass. and later at Inwood Knitting Mills in Meriden. In 1972, she, along with her husband, Leo, purchased a general store in Hill, N.H. Upon their retirement in 1978, Blanche and Leo returned to Meriden where she remained until her passing. Blanche was an avid reader and was a fan of the Boston Red Sox.

Blanche was predeceased by her husband, Leo Gregoire; son, Del Gregoire; daughter, Cecile Anthony; and grandson, Dan Naimoli; as well as her brothers, Adem and Armand Comtois; and her sister, Oliva Boucher; a great-granddaughter; and a great-great granddaughter.

She is survived by 17 children, Jacqueline Desrosiers and her husband, Alex, of Enfield, Aline Pincince and her husband, George, of Centreville, Va., Georgette Huckins, of Winnisquam, N.H., Leo Gregoire, of Edmonston, New Brunswick Canada, Simone Boucher and her husband, Robert, of Vero Beach, Fla., Irene Roy and her husband, Robert, of Westboro, Mass., Louis Gregoire and his wife, Geraldine, of Watertown, Mass., Philippe Gregoire and his wife, Rose, of Carlisle, Pa., Ernest Gregoire and his wife, Paula, of Goshen, Fernande (Marie) Rivers and her husband, Gerald, of Meriden, Paul Gregoire, of Red Rapids New Brunswick Canada, George Gregoire, of Meriden, Raymond Gregoire and his wife, Phyllis, of Southbridge, Mass., Vivian Naimoli and her husband, Gary, of Meriden, Andre Gregoire, of Palmer, Mass., Bernadette Kreyling, of Haverhill, Mass., Paulette Zajac and her husband, John of Meriden; in addition Blanche leaves behind 41 grandchildren; and numerous great and great–great grandchildren. Blanche was a loving mother who put her family above all else. We'll miss you mom.

The funeral will be held Thursday, Sept. 6, at 9 a.m. from the John J. Ferry & Sons Funeral Home, 88 E. Main St., Meriden and at 10 a.m., at St. Laurent Church for a Mass of Christian burial. Burial will be in St. Laurent Cemetery, South Meriden. Family and friends may call at the funeral home Wednesday, Sept. 5, from 3 to 8 p.m. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Bradley Home, 320 Colony St., Meriden, CT 06450. For online condolences visit: www.jferryfh.com.