http://www.thesunchronicle.com/obituaries/obituaries-published-oct/article_d6fb6248-8434-5813-b2f7-8bd2ad232d6a.html
Obituaries published Oct. 12 Oct 11, 2016
Local obituaries were published Wednesday, Oct. 12 for: Frederick Cooper, 90, of North Attleboro; Pauline DeWitt, 93, of North Attleboro; Carl Gullens, 82, of North Ridgeville, Ohio, formerly of Mansfield; Patricia Regan, 48, of Mansfield; and Robert Skawinski of North Attleboro. Frederick A. Cooper, 90 NORTH ATTLEBORO - Frederick A. Cooper, 90, of North Attleboro, passed away peacefully on Saturday, Oct. 8, 2016. He was married for 54 years to the late Mildred M. (Metthe) Cooper until her death in 2004. Born in Attleboro on Sept. 13, 1926, he was a loving son of the late Walter Austin and Sarah Belle (Richmond) Cooper. Fred grew up and was educated in Attleboro. During World War II, he proudly served his country as a member of the Army-Air Force. He was discharged from duty Nov. 6, 1945. He was a retired toolmaker who made his home in North Attleboro for the past 70 years. Fred enjoyed gardening, woodworking, camping and reminiscing about ice-cutting and days on the farm. He had an upbeat attitude towards making the best of what life handed him. Fred is survived by his devoted daughter, Deborah Cavanagh and her husband Paul of Attleboro. He was grandfather to James Cavanagh of Providence and Patricia Bratberg and her husband Jeffrey of Attleboro; he was great-grandfather to Kathryn and Nicholas Bratberg. He was predeceased by his son, Richard A. Cooper, and siblings Alice Patton, Albert Cooper, and Janet Jackson. He is also survived by many nieces and nephews. A time for visitation will be held on Saturday, Oct. 15, from 10 to 11 a.m., at the Sperry & McHoul Funeral Home, 15 Grove St., North Attleboro, immediately followed by a service of remembrance in the funeral home. Burial with military honors will follow at Mt. Hope Cemetery & Arboretum, Attleboro Falls. In lieu of flowers, donations in Fred's memory may be made to the Community VNA, 10 Emory St., Attleboro, MA 02703. To sign a guestbook for Fred, visit www.sperry-mchoul.com. Pauline DeWitt, 93 NORTH ATTLEBORO - Pauline M. DeWitt, 93, of Garfield Avenue, passed away Monday evening, Oct. 10, 2016, at Madonna Manor Nursing Home. She was the beloved wife of over 50 years to the late Dr. James DeWitt, veterinarian and owner of DeWitt Animal Hospital, now in Plainville. Born Aug. 16, 1923 in Weymouth, she was a daughter of the late Henry and Mary J. (Campbell) Denbroeder. Pauline was a 1941 graduate of Abington High School and attended Fisher College in Boston. After college, she worked for the Justice Department in Boston for three years and then worked as office manager and bookkeeper for the Dewitt Animal Hospital, when it was in North Attleboro, for 37 years. Pauline was a talented artist and during World War II she sketched the profiles of over 3,000 servicemen at the Young Men's Christian Union in Boston for their families. She was very active in the North Attleboro community where she served as president of the Junior Kalmia Club, and was a member of the Attleboro Museum. Pauline was the financial secretary for 11 years at the MVMA (Massachusetts Veterinary Medical Association) where she provided assistance to needy veterinary students. The MVMA established the Dr. James and Pauline DeWitt Scholarship Fund in 1996 in honor of her and Dr. DeWitt's service to the organization. She also volunteered at the Roosevelt Avenue School in North Attleboro and the library at Canterberry Woods in Attleboro. She was a devoted communicant of St. Mark's Parish in Attleboro Falls, serving in the St. Vincent DePaul Society and St. Mark's Guild. She was awarded the Diocese of Fall River's Marian Medal in 1971, the first award for the newly established St. Mark's Church, and given an Honorary Alumni Award by Bishop Feehan High School in 2003. Pauline loved spending time with her family and enjoyed quilting, oil painting, playing the organ and traveling. She is survived by six children and their spouses: William H. DeWitt and husband Bob of Kingston; Judy Aubin and husband Ray of North Attleboro; Nancy Dorrance and husband Carl of Attleboro; Paula Conway and husband Dana of Shirley; James A. DeWitt and wife Janna of Mont Vernon, N.H., and Daniel DeWitt of Campton, N.H.; 15 grandchildren: Michael, Suzanne, Caryn, Greg, Joe, Lyndsey, Jaci, Nicole, Tara, Tiffany, Nick, Cierra, Christian, Jessica and Sara, and 21 great-grandchildren. She was sister of the late Lillian Warner, Adrian Denbroeder, and Malcolm Denbroeder. Visiting hours will be held Friday, Oct. 14 from 4 to 8 p.m. in the Sperry & McHoul Funeral Home, 15 Grove St., North Attleboro. A funeral Mass will be held on Saturday at 11 a.m. at St. Mark's Church, 105 Stanley St., Attleboro Falls, followed by burial at St. Mary's Cemetery, Attleboro Falls. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Hockomock Area YMCA, 300 Elmwood St., North Attleboro, MA 02760. To sign an online guestbook for Mrs. DeWitt, please visit www.sperry-mchoul.com. Carl Gullens, 82 NORTH RIDGEVILLE, Ohio - Carl H. Gullens, 82, of North Ridgeville, Ohio, formerly of Mansfield, passed away on Sunday, Oct. 9, 2016, at the Ames Family Hospice House in Westlake, Ohio. He was the beloved husband of Patricia B. (Skrabut) Gullens, to whom he was wed on March 3, 1963. Born in the Roxbury section of Boston on Dec. 2, 1933, he was a loving son of the late Arthur and Frances (Bartols) Gullens. Carl grew up and was educated in the Jamaica Plain and Roxbury neighborhoods of Boston and was a graduate of the former Roxbury High School. He proudly served his country as a member of U.S. Army during the Korean War and was honorably discharged on Aug. 20, 1953, with the rank of E-7 sergeant first class. He had worked for 49 years for the City of Boston and retired as a supervisor of street lighting in 2000. He had made his home in North Ridgeville for the past 10 1/2 years and formerly resided in Mansfield for 34 years. Carl was a communicant of St. Peter Catholic Church in North Ridgeville and a former member of St. Mary's Church in Mansfield. He was a member of the Lieutenant Norman Prince Drum & Bugle Corp, and taught as a drill instructor at St. William's Church in Dorchester and at St. Joseph's Church in Medway. He was also a member of the American Legion Post in Malden. Carl enjoyed tinkering and engaging in projects around his home, but most of all loved spending time with his family, especially with his "grand boys." In addition to his wife, he is survived by his devoted children: Kenneth W. Gullens of Mansfield; retired U.S. Army Master Sgt. Kurt J. Gullens of Waco, Texas; Kimberly A. McLaughlin and her husband Ray of North Ridgeville; Michael A. Gullens of Taunton, and Theresa F. Bromley of Norton. He was the dear brother of the late Arthur Gullens and Arlene Gullens. He is also survived by his cherished 13 grandchildren. Visiting hours, to which relatives and friends are cordially invited to attend, will be held on Saturday, Oct. 15, from 3 to 7 p.m., at the Sherman & Jackson Funeral Home, 55 North Main St., Mansfield. Burial with military honors will be held at a later date at Knollwood Park in Canton. In lieu of flowers, Carl's family has requested that donations in his memory be made to the American Cancer Society, 30 Speen St., Framingham, MA 01701. To send the Gullens family a message of condolence, visit www.shermanjackson.com. Patricia Regan, 48 MANSFIELD - Patricia Ellen "Patty" Regan, 48, of Mansfield, passed peacefully on Sunday, Oct. 9, 2016 at McCarthy Care Center in East Sandwich. Patty had a kind heart and was a great friend to many. She was also a huge New England sports fan. She was preceded in death by her father William Regan Jr. She is survived in death by her mother, Katherine Regan of Mansfield, and her daughters Bridget Regan and Caitlin Regan of Mansfield. Also survived by her brother, Timothy Regan (Katherine) of Mansfield; Kathleen Quirk (Michael) of Erie, Pa.; Phyllis Cavaleri (Joseph) of Randolph; William Regan III of Mansfield, and Donna McDowell of Mansfield. She was also a loving auntie to many nieces and nephews and their children. Funeral Mass at St. Mary's Church, 330 Pratt St. (Route 106), Mansfield, on Friday, Oct. 14, at 10 a.m. Relatives and friends are invited to attend. Burial at St. Mary's Cemetery, Mansfield. Calling hours will be held in the Bolea-Amici Funeral Home, 115 North Main St., Mansfield, on Thursday, Oct. 13, from 5 to 8 pm. In lieu of flowers, donations in Patty's name may be made to Mass General Cancer Center at giving.massgeneral.org. www.boleafuneralservices.com. Robert 'Ski' Skawinski 6/24/1940 - 10/6/2016 NORTH ATTLEBORO - Robert Francis "Ski" Skawinski died unexpectedly on Thursday, Oct. 6, 2016, at his home. He is the son of the late Ruth Allen from Pawtucket, who passed away when he was very young, and then lovingly mothered by the late Rita Skawinski and was son of the late Frank Skawinski, both formerly of North Attleboro. He is survived by three children: Holly Skawinski of Taunton; Robin Skawinski-Hankinson of Bradenton, Fla., and Todd Skawinski of Liberty, Maine; longtime girlfriend Joanne Ballard of North Attleboro; and three sisters: Susan Skawinski of Marion, Nancy Skawinski of Marion, and Debbie Grundy of Cumberland. He also leaves many cousins and good friends in Massachusetts, Maine and Rhode Island. Ski served as a coxswain in the U.S. Navy from 1957-1961 on the USS Lake Champlain. He was very proud and honored to serve his country and loved being in the Navy. Ski was a longtime resident of North Attleboro. He was an auto body repairman by trade and was mostly self-employed. In 1983-1995, he took his trade to Palermo, Maine, an area he always loved. After several years in Maine, he gave up auto body repair and became a lobster fisherman, something he always dreamed of doing. Ski was a longtime member of the North Attleboro Elks and the North Attleboro VFW. He was an avid outdoorsman and enjoyed hunting, fishing and camping. While living in Maine, he served as a hunting guide to many of his Massachusetts, Maine and Rhode Island friends and loved doing it. He then moved back to North Attleboro in 1995. Ski was also a huge history buff and he enjoyed reading about the Civil War. He would often say, "I would have made a great history teacher." Ski loved to laugh and make others do the same. He could tell a story or a joke like no one else and if you laughed hard enough, you'd get to hear that same story or joke 100 more times and still laugh just as hard as the first time. No one will forget the way he told the stories of "Dougy Two Bears," "Guinea Pig in a Snowsuit," or "Road Trip with Pears." What Ski loved most of all was his family and friends. He referred to anyone he met as "a good friend of mine." Words cannot express how much we will miss him. Visiting hours will be Sunday, Oct. 16, from 3-6 p.m., in the Sperry & McHoul Funeral Home, 15 Grove St., North Attleboro, immediately followed by a prayer service in the funeral home at 6 p.m. A private burial will be held on Monday, Oct. 17, at the Massachusetts National Cemetery in Bourne. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Disabled American Veterans Association, P.O. BOX 14301, Cincinnati, OH 45250-0301 or www.dav.org. To sign a guestbook for Ski, visit www.sperry-mchoul.com.
