Obituary: Peter Gonnella, 48, Athletic Standout and Coach

Wakefield High School graduate Peter Gonnella (WHS '81) was a record-setting athlete while at Wakefield High School and went on to become an accomplished high school basketball coach.

Paul Faler, Longtime Board of Assessors Member, Dies at 71

Faler, who served as a member or chair of the Board of Assessors from 1985 to 2011, passed away on Wednesday at his home.

Paul Faler, a longtime member of the Wakefield Board of Assessors, passed away on Wednesday, December 14 at his Lowell Street home after a brief illness. He was 71. Mr. Faler was well known in Wakefield for being active in civic affairs, serving on the Wakefield Board of Assessors between 1985 and 2011. In his professional life, he taught American History at University of Massachusetts - Boston from 1970 until he retired in 2002. Mr. Faler is survived by his father Paul C. Faler of Lynnfield, his wife Karen Faler, a daughter Jessica Pierce and her husband David Pierce of San Antonio, Tex.; a son Seth Faler and his wife Whitney Faler of Ridgefield, Conn.; a son Justin Faler and his wife Elizabeth of Boston, and five grandchildren: Aidan and…

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Selectman Turco: Not Seeking Re-Election in April

In a letter to the editor, the nine-year veteran of the Board of Selectmen announces he will not seek re-election in the April 2012 town elections.

Dear Editor: I have decided not to seek re-election to the Board of Selectmen this coming April. Although this announcement may seem early to some, I want every good potential candidate for the Board of Selectmen to have adequate time to give full consideration to running for the seat I will vacate in the Spring. During the past forty years, I served twenty years in elective office in Wakefield Town government. I began on the School Committee in 1972 as a young man. During most of the 1980s, I was the Town's Moderator. In 2003, townspeople first elected me to the Board of Selectmen, and by April of 2012 I will have served on the Board for three full terms, a total of nine years. I have been an active and activist Selectmen. When I saw …

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Brandon Chapman

5:15 pm on Tuesday, November 29, 2011

Thanks for your dedicated service, Mr. Turco. Best wishes for whatever the future holds for you   more ›

In Memoriam

Obituary: Betty Rugato, 83, Independent Bookkeeper in Wakefield for 60 Years

Mrs. Rugato, who passed away on July 28, was a Wakefield High graduate and owned her own bookkeeping business in Wakefield for decades, even after she was legally blind.

Elizabeth Anne Rugato, a Wakefield High School graduate who ran her own bookkeeping business and lived in Wakefield for more than sixty years, passed away on July 28 after a long illness. She was 82. Ms. Rugato, know to her friends and family as Betty, was born in Boston on Jun. 30, 1929 to parents Edgar & Myrtle (Lockhart) Eklund and spent her early years in Lynnfield. She then moved to Wakefield and attended Wakefield High School, where she graduated from in 1947. Ms. Rugato married the late Michael J. Rugato right out of high school and had three children. The couple ended up divorcing a few years later. "I don't know how she did it when I was a small child and she was raising three kids as a single mom," said her daughter, Gail …

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In Memoriam

Obituary: Walter V. Maloney, Retired Chief of Wakefield Fire Department, 83

The longtime Wakefield resident served the fire department for over 40 years, raised a large and loving family and loved baseball.

Walter V. Maloney, Jr., who served as Wakefield Fire Chief for 22 years, and a firefighter for 44 years, died on Friday, August 5 as a result of pancreatic cancer. He was 83. Born in Melrose on August 9, 1927, Chief Maloney was the son of the late Walter V. and Helen (Tabot) Maloney. He went on to graduate from Wakefield High School in 1945, and attended North Shore Community College. Chief Maloney served in the U.S. Navy and was stationed aboard the U.S.S. Tarawa, an aircraft carrier, during World War II. Chief Maloney served as a firefighter in Wakefield for 44 years, with 22 of those years, 1970-1992, as Chief of the Wakefield Fire Department.  And while the fire service was a life long professional pursuit for Maloney, his family was …

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Sara Jacobi

1:41 pm on Wednesday, February 8, 2012

Thanks so much for sharing, Tom.   more ›

In Memoriam

Obituary: Walter V. Maloney, Retired Chief of Wakefield Fire Department, 83

The lifelong resident of Wakefield, who put in more than four decades of public service as a firefighter then fire chief, died on August 5.

Walter V. Maloney, Jr., who served as Wakefield Fire Chief for 22 years, and a firefighter for 44 years, died on Friday, August 5 as a result of pancreatic cancer. He was 83. Born in Melrose on August 9, 1927, Chief Maloney was the son of the late Walter V. and Helen (Tabot) Maloney. He went on to graduate from Wakefield High School in 1945, and attended North Shore Community College. Chief Maloney served in the U.S. Navy and was stationed aboard the U.S.S. Tarawa, an aircraft carrier, during World War II. Legacy at the Wakefield Fire Department Chief Maloney served as a firefighter in Wakefield for 44 years, with 22 of those years, 1970-1992, as Chief of the Wakefield Fire Department.  "Serving as chief for 22 and in this day and age …

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In Memoriam

Obituary: Deborah Somers, a Generous Volunteer and Nature Enthusiast, 65

Deborah Somers, a Wakefield resident and mother of four, passed away on July 25.

Deborah Somers, a Wakefield resident, loving wife and dedicated mother of four died on July 25th, 11 months after she was diagnosed with cancer. She was 65. A warm personality who lit up a room with her presence, her daughter said Mrs. Somers was known by her friends as a giving, generous person.  “Right when you met her, you were her friend right away,” said her daughter Jennifer Moon of Wakefield. Mrs. Somers was born on July 5, 1945 and attended Chapel Hill High School before preceding to the Western College for Women in Ohio, which is now Miami College of Ohio. Mrs. Somers worked for Century 21 in Wakefield as a realtor, and spent her free time pursuing several different types of hobbies. Spending time with family and friends was a …

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Obituaries: Death Notices, July 8-15

A list of local death notices from last week.

Death notices: July 8-15.    Deceased's name: Andrew Sofronas Age: 72 Date: July 10, 2011 Hometown: Saugus Survived by: Husband of Crysoula (Georgakopoulos) Sofronas. Father of Sotiris "Steve" Sofronas and his wife Kelly and Konstantinos "Charlie" Sofronas and his wife Angela, all of Wakefield. Grandfather of Andreas, Nikolas, Andreas, and Crysoula. Brother of Anna Mikedis and her husband George, of Saugus, and Georgia Sklikas and her husband Panagiotis, of Kalamata, Greece. Also survived by his mother-in-law Evdokia Georgakopoulos, a brother-in-law Dimitrios Georgakopoulos and his wife Dina, and his sisters-in-law Sofia Kokkinos and her husband Panagiotis, Effie Zorbas, Vetta Manikas and her husband Dimitrios, all of Athens, Greece, 4 …

Wakefield Death Notices, June 24-July 1

A list of death notices from the past week.

Death Notices: June 24-July 1     June 24     Deceased's name: Josephine "Dolly" Neumyer Age: 85 Date: June 24, 2011 Hometown: Natick Survived by: Daughter Suzanne Bacigalupo (Wakefield) son Robert Leach (Seabrook NH) Grandaughter Jacqueline Menjivar (Wakefield) Great grandchildren Antonio Cavagnaro, Elizabeth and Miranda Menjivar (Wakefield) and sister Doris Traniello of Sandwich Dolly Traniello grew up in Natick, and was the widow of Robert Leach Sr., of Framingham and Chet Neumyer of Peabody.  She was active in the Peabody and Margate FL Elks, as well  as the Hampton NH Seniors.  For the past eight years, Mrs. Neumyer has resided in Wakefield to be near her family.  Dolly made a loving impression on all whom she encountered. The family …

In Memoriam

Obituary: Marceline A. Frotten, 85, Wakefield resident and longtime Melrose-Wakefield Hospital employee

Remembered as a loving mother who was devoted to her family and fiercely proud of her French-Acadian heritage.

Marceline Frotten always understood the importance of family. Whether it was her own five children, one of her seven grandchildren or one of their eight kids, the longtime Wakefield resident always made sure to include everyone in the familial festivities. “My mom was such a good person and so well liked,” said her son, Robert Frotten of Easton. “She really was the center of our family. She was also very fond of friends, she would invite them over to have dinner at our house all the time. She was very inspiring that way. She reached out to friends, and she was also very good at including extended family.” Marceline A. Frotten, married to her husband, J. Paul Frotten, for 65 years, was a longtime resident of Wakefield and worked at Melrose-…

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