Mary Catherine Duquette
July 6, 1927 — April 12, 2024
Walpole
Mary Catherine Duquette
Mary Catherine Duquette, age 96, passed away on Friday, April 12, 2024, at the All- American Assisted Living in Wrentham, Massachusetts. Born in Boston, Massachusetts on July 6, 1927, she was the daughter of Everett W. and Elizabeth Harriet Genieve (Peck) Knapp. Mary was raised on the family farm in Sharon, Massachusetts where, as the first grandchild, she was doted on and spoiled by her many aunts and uncles and grandparents. She was especially close with her maternal grandmother, who she called 'Ma'. Life on the farm was fun for Mary, who enjoyed helping to gather the eggs from the chickens and riding on the tractors while tending the rows of corn.
Mary's parents moved to Norwood, Massachusetts, leaving the farm life behind and joining a busy and diverse neighborhood. Mary made many friends in her new neighborhood, including a young Norman Duquette, aka “Beano”, who was often there visiting relatives. The pair enjoyed spending time together and Norman would often join Mary in babysitting her younger sister, Enola. Norman enlisted to support the war effort in 1943, but the friends managed to remain in touch.
Mary graduated with the class of 1945 from Norwood High School and Norman returned home from World War II in 1946. Friendship blossomed into love and a short year later, on November 28, 1947, Mary and Norman were wed in North Attleborough, Massachusetts. The couple made their married home in Fall River, Massachusetts and back to Norwood, where Mary settled into the life of a home maker.
In 1955, the young family moved to Walpole, Massachusetts where they would raise their daughter, Pamela. Mary kept busy taking care of her daughter, husband, and home, but still found time to socialize and meet her neighbors. She and Norman looked forward to get-togethers with their neighbors to play cards and bowling. Mary enjoyed bowling so much that she joined a league! At home, Mary taught Pam how to sew and how to cook, and when Pam joined the Norwood Debonairs Drum & Bugle Corp, she would volunteer to help organize events and sew their uniforms.
Mary had regular routines to keep her household running smoothly, one of which was walking down to Schrieder's Market for a nice cut of meat for dinner. One day while shopping there, she was presented with an opportunity to work mothers’ hours working the cash register, and after some consideration, she accepted the job.
Some years later, an uncle needed assistance at his business, the Offset Printing Company in Boston, and called upon his niece to help him out temporarily. Even though Mary had to take the bus in and out of Boston each day, she found that she genuinely enjoyed her work there and slowly moved from temporary to part-time to full-time employment. When the company moved to their new facility in Rockland, Massachusetts, Norman joined Mary working for the company, driving to work together every day. This was a wonderful arrangement, as Norman was her best friend and it was rare for the pair to not be together.
In the late 1980's, after becoming a purchasing agent and running the processing departments, Mary was ready to retire. Retirement was a new adventure for Mary and Norman. Years earlier, Norman had converted a van into a camper and the pair often went away on the weekends. Now retired, they had more time to journey further to places like Lake George, Niagara Falls, and New Hampshire. A favorite destination was out in Western Mass to see the Boston Pops play at Tanglewood. Mary and Norman were often found in their camper at WaWaLoom Campground in Rhode Island on the Exeter, Richmond, and Westerly lines with their friends, and later with their grandchildren as well.
In 2006, sometime after the passing of her beloved Norman, Mary moved into an in-law suite at Pam's to be closer to her family. She found community at the Walpole Council on Aging as well as the Norwood Senior Center. Mary loved to get the monthly brochures outlining the different activities that would be held, taking the time to plan out an events schedule. She took advantage of all that the Council on Aging had to offer, utilizing the bus for trips, attending balance and exercise classes, and getting together with friends for community gatherings. She especially looked forward to the regular Bingo games. Mary always managed to get Bingo and loved the prizes that the Norwood Senior Center offered to its winners.
In her free time, Mary enjoyed watching local sports. She loved to track scores for the Patriots and Red Sox and looked forward to March Madness every year. Mary could often be found tending to her garden when the weather was nice or challenging herself with a sudoku puzzle while relaxing with one of her beloved cats. Mary was extremely creative, and in addition to sewing, could often be found with paints and a canvas, painting a beautiful scene. Most of all, she loved to spend time with her family, having everyone together for a good old fashioned clam boil or for a delicious dinner of her famous baked spaghetti. Mary looked forward to taking her grandchildren on camping adventures or visiting with her great grandchildren who fondly called her GG.
In 2013, Mary made it possible for the family to enjoy many future trips to their favorite place, Walt Disney World in Florida, by contributing to a DVC Membership. The entire family will always cherish these trips together thanks to the generosity of GG.
Beloved wife of the late Norman Joseph Duquette
Loving mother of Pamela F. Young, and her husband Bob, of Walpole
Cherished grandmother of Lauren Antonetti, and her husband James, of Walpole and Ryan Young, and his wife Kim, of Walpole; and great-grandmother of Leyla, Robert, Kennedy, and Colby
Sister of the late Enola Willette, and her surviving husband Charles Willette Sr., of Florida
Aunt of special niece, Debra Daniel, and her husband John, of Cumberland, RI, Charles Willette Jr. of Plainville, Paul Willette of Florida, and John Willette of Plainville.
Mary's family would like to thank and acknowledge Marcelina Vicente, who was her devoted caretaker. Marcelina was with Mary at home and transitioned her to All American Assisted Living, Memory Care.
Mary's family would also like to thank the compassionate staff of AAAL and Ascend Hospice who combined to develop a loving residence for Mary.
At the request of Mary's family, all funeral services will be private. Interment will take place in Rock Ridge Cemetery, Sharon.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations in Mary's name may be made to the Walpole Council on Aging at 60 South Street Walpole, MA 02081.
Arrangements by James H. Delaney & Son Funeral Home, Walpole.
Mary's parents moved to Norwood, Massachusetts, leaving the farm life behind and joining a busy and diverse neighborhood. Mary made many friends in her new neighborhood, including a young Norman Duquette, aka “Beano”, who was often there visiting relatives. The pair enjoyed spending time together and Norman would often join Mary in babysitting her younger sister, Enola. Norman enlisted to support the war effort in 1943, but the friends managed to remain in touch.
Mary graduated with the class of 1945 from Norwood High School and Norman returned home from World War II in 1946. Friendship blossomed into love and a short year later, on November 28, 1947, Mary and Norman were wed in North Attleborough, Massachusetts. The couple made their married home in Fall River, Massachusetts and back to Norwood, where Mary settled into the life of a home maker.
In 1955, the young family moved to Walpole, Massachusetts where they would raise their daughter, Pamela. Mary kept busy taking care of her daughter, husband, and home, but still found time to socialize and meet her neighbors. She and Norman looked forward to get-togethers with their neighbors to play cards and bowling. Mary enjoyed bowling so much that she joined a league! At home, Mary taught Pam how to sew and how to cook, and when Pam joined the Norwood Debonairs Drum & Bugle Corp, she would volunteer to help organize events and sew their uniforms.
Mary had regular routines to keep her household running smoothly, one of which was walking down to Schrieder's Market for a nice cut of meat for dinner. One day while shopping there, she was presented with an opportunity to work mothers’ hours working the cash register, and after some consideration, she accepted the job.
Some years later, an uncle needed assistance at his business, the Offset Printing Company in Boston, and called upon his niece to help him out temporarily. Even though Mary had to take the bus in and out of Boston each day, she found that she genuinely enjoyed her work there and slowly moved from temporary to part-time to full-time employment. When the company moved to their new facility in Rockland, Massachusetts, Norman joined Mary working for the company, driving to work together every day. This was a wonderful arrangement, as Norman was her best friend and it was rare for the pair to not be together.
In the late 1980's, after becoming a purchasing agent and running the processing departments, Mary was ready to retire. Retirement was a new adventure for Mary and Norman. Years earlier, Norman had converted a van into a camper and the pair often went away on the weekends. Now retired, they had more time to journey further to places like Lake George, Niagara Falls, and New Hampshire. A favorite destination was out in Western Mass to see the Boston Pops play at Tanglewood. Mary and Norman were often found in their camper at WaWaLoom Campground in Rhode Island on the Exeter, Richmond, and Westerly lines with their friends, and later with their grandchildren as well.
In 2006, sometime after the passing of her beloved Norman, Mary moved into an in-law suite at Pam's to be closer to her family. She found community at the Walpole Council on Aging as well as the Norwood Senior Center. Mary loved to get the monthly brochures outlining the different activities that would be held, taking the time to plan out an events schedule. She took advantage of all that the Council on Aging had to offer, utilizing the bus for trips, attending balance and exercise classes, and getting together with friends for community gatherings. She especially looked forward to the regular Bingo games. Mary always managed to get Bingo and loved the prizes that the Norwood Senior Center offered to its winners.
In her free time, Mary enjoyed watching local sports. She loved to track scores for the Patriots and Red Sox and looked forward to March Madness every year. Mary could often be found tending to her garden when the weather was nice or challenging herself with a sudoku puzzle while relaxing with one of her beloved cats. Mary was extremely creative, and in addition to sewing, could often be found with paints and a canvas, painting a beautiful scene. Most of all, she loved to spend time with her family, having everyone together for a good old fashioned clam boil or for a delicious dinner of her famous baked spaghetti. Mary looked forward to taking her grandchildren on camping adventures or visiting with her great grandchildren who fondly called her GG.
In 2013, Mary made it possible for the family to enjoy many future trips to their favorite place, Walt Disney World in Florida, by contributing to a DVC Membership. The entire family will always cherish these trips together thanks to the generosity of GG.
Beloved wife of the late Norman Joseph Duquette
Loving mother of Pamela F. Young, and her husband Bob, of Walpole
Cherished grandmother of Lauren Antonetti, and her husband James, of Walpole and Ryan Young, and his wife Kim, of Walpole; and great-grandmother of Leyla, Robert, Kennedy, and Colby
Sister of the late Enola Willette, and her surviving husband Charles Willette Sr., of Florida
Aunt of special niece, Debra Daniel, and her husband John, of Cumberland, RI, Charles Willette Jr. of Plainville, Paul Willette of Florida, and John Willette of Plainville.
Mary's family would like to thank and acknowledge Marcelina Vicente, who was her devoted caretaker. Marcelina was with Mary at home and transitioned her to All American Assisted Living, Memory Care.
Mary's family would also like to thank the compassionate staff of AAAL and Ascend Hospice who combined to develop a loving residence for Mary.
At the request of Mary's family, all funeral services will be private. Interment will take place in Rock Ridge Cemetery, Sharon.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations in Mary's name may be made to the Walpole Council on Aging at 60 South Street Walpole, MA 02081.
Arrangements by James H. Delaney & Son Funeral Home, Walpole.
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