Obituary: Erma (Borgnolo) Kaye, Met Her Husband in France

Obituary from Lynch-Cantillon Funeral Home.

Erma (Borgnolo) Kaye passed away at her home Tuesday morning, November 18th with her beloved family at her side. The wife of the late Roger L. Kaye, Erma just celebrated her ninetieth birthday several days ago.

Born in Bernes-sur-Oise, France she was the daughter of the late Angelo and Caterina (Zuanigh) Borgnolo. Raised and educated there, Erma had experienced the effects of growing up during World War II and suffered through many unconscionable moments. She met a fine young soldier, who was a liaison in the Medical Corps and who spoke fluent French, Roger Kaye. He asked for a tour of France and that was the beginning of a lifelong journey together. They married while in France and came to America a very short time later, on the George Washington, arriving in New York. They made their home in Allston, then Cambridge, and in 1967 nestled into their home in East Woburn, where they remained.

Together they raised a son and daughter to whom they were devoted and very proud. Becoming Gram was a true joy for Erma, who had a great gift of storytelling. While spending time with the grandkids, “Gram” would always share a story or two from her past. She also shared a bit of her creativity with both children and grandchildren. A particular skill was carbonizing wood on a heater and then using it to make her Christmas cards and to sketch beautiful scenes, one of which was of a Church in downtown Woburn, which she imaged by hand and every year it adorned her Christmas crèche.

Erma had a fondness for feathered animals. She more often than not would have her little fine feathered friends eating out of her hand, while enjoying time in her yard. Erma also had tremendous dexterity in the use of her hands. Holding a position at Dionics she began as an assembler and worked her way through the entire company with the complete knowledge of the medical product they engineered with fiber optics.

A very strong-willed and positive person, Erma smiled, hummed, and sang throughout her lifetime. She held her family close, appreciating all that she had.

In addition to her husband, Roger, Erma was predeceased by her daughter, Marian P. Thistle; her son-in-law, John Thistle; and her sisters, Lelea Cornier, Esther Ducreux, and Janine Borgnolo.

She is lovingly survived by her son, Paul Kaye and his wife Leslie of GA; her grandchildren, Allison Hall and her husband Buck, Michael Kaye and his wife Rebecca, all of GA, and Joanne Thistle of Woburn; and her great-grandchildren, Tucker Hall, Elliott Kaye, and Oscar Kaye; as well as many loving nieces and nephews.

Relatives and friends are kindly invited to call at the Graham Funeral Home, 3 Arlington Road, Woburn on Thursday, November 20th from 4 to 8 p.m. Services and interment are private. Remembrances may be made in Erma’s memory to Compassionate Care Hospice, 800 Cummings Park Drive, Suite 3100, Woburn, MA 01801. Professional services are under the direction of the Lynch-Cantillon Funeral Home.