Obituary for Lawrence A. Willette
Lawrence (Larry) A. Willette Jr., 98, a longtime resident of Chelmsford, died on Thursday, September 27th, 2018. He was the beloved husband of Ann Marie C. (Sigdestad) Willette who survives him and with whom she shared 41 years of marriage.
He was born in Ardmore, PA on November 16th, 1919 and was a son of the late Lenora (Boyd) and Lawrence Willette. The eldest of six brothers and sisters, Larry was raised in Belleville, NJ and went to the Stevens Institute of Technology in Hoboken, NJ. He proudly served his country in the United States Air Force as an engineer during World War II.
Prior to his retirement as a High School Engineering and Mathematics teacher, Larry held an extensive mechanical and electronic engineering career in aeronautics, computer sciences, high frequency radio and television design, and the development of photography and cinematic equipment. While Larry enjoyed a multitude of various hobbies, especially those that allowed him to take apart and rebuild something, he particularly enjoyed skiing, camping, computers, and photography. Larry was also an avid reader and had a passion for classical music.
Most importantly, Larry loved being a family man. In addition to his loving wife, Ann Marie, he is survived by his daughters, Alyssa Smith and her husband Mark of Burlington and Tiasha Willette of Tewksbury, as well as his granddaughter, Elsa Smith.
Visiting hours will be held on Friday, October 5th from 4 to 7 pm at the Blake Chelmsford Funeral Home, 24 Worthen St., Chelmsford. His celebration of life service will be held at the First Parish Unitarian Universalist Church, Chelmsford on Saturday, October 6th at 11 am. Inurnment to follow in Pine Ridge Cemetery, Chelmsford. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the First Parish Unitarian Universalist Church Accessibility Building Project, 2 Westford Street, Chelmsford, MA 01824 or the Schepens Eye Research Institute, 20 Staniford Street, Boston, MA 02114.
He was born in Ardmore, PA on November 16th, 1919 and was a son of the late Lenora (Boyd) and Lawrence Willette. The eldest of six brothers and sisters, Larry was raised in Belleville, NJ and went to the Stevens Institute of Technology in Hoboken, NJ. He proudly served his country in the United States Air Force as an engineer during World War II.
Prior to his retirement as a High School Engineering and Mathematics teacher, Larry held an extensive mechanical and electronic engineering career in aeronautics, computer sciences, high frequency radio and television design, and the development of photography and cinematic equipment. While Larry enjoyed a multitude of various hobbies, especially those that allowed him to take apart and rebuild something, he particularly enjoyed skiing, camping, computers, and photography. Larry was also an avid reader and had a passion for classical music.
Most importantly, Larry loved being a family man. In addition to his loving wife, Ann Marie, he is survived by his daughters, Alyssa Smith and her husband Mark of Burlington and Tiasha Willette of Tewksbury, as well as his granddaughter, Elsa Smith.
Visiting hours will be held on Friday, October 5th from 4 to 7 pm at the Blake Chelmsford Funeral Home, 24 Worthen St., Chelmsford. His celebration of life service will be held at the First Parish Unitarian Universalist Church, Chelmsford on Saturday, October 6th at 11 am. Inurnment to follow in Pine Ridge Cemetery, Chelmsford. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the First Parish Unitarian Universalist Church Accessibility Building Project, 2 Westford Street, Chelmsford, MA 01824 or the Schepens Eye Research Institute, 20 Staniford Street, Boston, MA 02114.