TURNERS FALLS, MA – Robert Boulanger age 85, died at Buckley Health Center on Saturday, June 8, 2013. He was born in Montague on May 17, 1928, the son of Leon and Annie (Leveille) Boulanger.He attended St. Anne’s School and later Turners Falls High School. He married Gloria M. Banash on November 26, 1949 at Our Lady of Czestochowa Church in Turners Falls. When she died in 2008, they had been married for over 59 years. As a youth, Bob was employed at Montague Rod and Reel Co. Later he began what became a 40 year career with Western Massachusetts Electric Company. At WMECO, he was a hydro-maintenance technician at Cabot Station in Montague City. Then in 1972, he became one of the initial crew of operators at the Northfield Mountain Pump Storage Facility, and remained there until retiring in 1991. In 1958 Bob and Gloria bought the Lukow farm on Swamp Road in Montague Center. For many years, Bob spent his evenings after work and on weekends updating the house and clearing the property into what became a wonderful gathering place for his family and friends. He loved the outdoors, including hunting, fishing, and gardening, but most of all, Bob enjoyed the times spent with his family at home. Bob was also a life member of the Montague Elks.
He leaves his son, Michael and his wife Karen of Westfield and their children, Milton Venetos, Anastasia Venetos-Wahl, and Ryan and Matthew Boulanger; his daughter, Cheryl Smith and her husband Greg of Philadelphia, PA and their children Betsy and Caroline; his son, Martin and his wife Deborah of Granville and their son Robert; and his son, Robert and his wife Anne of Katy, Texas, and their children, Justin, Natalie, Tyler, and Nathan. He is also survived by a great-grandson Nolan; his brother, Lawrence of Anderson, South Carolina; his twin sister, Cecile Brunelle of Montague, and many nieces and nephews.
Funeral services in celebration of Bob’s life will be observed on Friday, June 14 at 10:00 a.m. from the McCarthy Funeral Homes, 14 Prospect Street, Turners Falls, MA, with Rev. Fr. Stanley J. Aksamit, Pastor of Our Lady of Peace Church officiating. Rites of committal and burial will follow in the Our Lady of Czestochowa Cemetery, Turners Falls, MA. Visiting hours will be conducted on Thursday evening, June 13, from 5:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. at the funeral home. Expressions of affection in the form of charitable contributions are suggested in lieu of flowers to the Montague Center Fireman’s Relief Association, P.O. Box 237, Montague, MA 01351
The McCarthy Funeral Homes of Greenfield and Turners Falls, MA have been entrusted with the arrangements. Guest book and condolence message available at www.mccarthyfuneralhomes.com
