All Obituaries

Virginia Healy Birmingham 94, of Cambridge, March 15, 2019 at home. A lifelong resident of Cambridge, Virginia attended Radcliffe College after graduating high school. She married John C. Birmingham, Jr. in 1948 and began her first and longest career shortly thereafter as a loving and proud parent of six children. As her family grew, she took joy in her grandchildren and...

 Dr. Bayara Aroutunova-Manusevitch of Belmont march 12, 2019. Born in 1916 to a Russified Armenian family in Novyi Nakhichevan (New Nakhichevan, now in Rostov; in 1778, Catherine II forcibly relocated over 200,000 Armenians from Crimea), she was named after her maternal grandmother Bayar. “Bahar,” the little girl was told, means “spring,” which she must always youthfully emulate (I do not know that definition. Commonly in Armenian homes “bahar”...

Mary Ellen Reuther(Salmon) of St. Petersburg, FL ,formerly of Belmont, died on March 8, 2019 after a long illness. Wife of the late James F Reuther of St. Petersburg, FL formerly of Pittsburgh, PA  Daughter of the late John and Agnes Salmon of Belmont, Sister of John M. Salmon and his wife Deborah of Tewksbury, formerly of Belmont,  and James Salmon and his late wife Susan of Tewksbury, formerly of Belmont and many Nieces and Nephews. Details to follow.

Arcot Vijaya Kumar of Waltham March 8, 2019. Beloved son of Aruna and Arcot S. Vijaya Kumar. At the family's request his funeral services will be private.

Stanley Norman Roach Jr. In Dedham, formerly of Cambridge, March 5, 2019. Beloved husband of the late Anntonette M. (Cirino). Father of John S. Roach of Texas and Judith A. Roach-Butkiewicz of Florida. Grandfather of Brian H Roach of Waltham, Caroline Roach of Salem and Remi Lynn Roach-Butkiewicz of Florida.  Brother of the late Marilyn E. Parsons.  Also survived by relatives in Newfoundland.  A Masonic service will be held on Saturday, March 16 in the...

Ruth E. Cassidy (Burns) of Belmont March 4, 2019. Beloved wife of the late Charles J. Cassidy. Loving mother of Laura Rabenold and her husband Gregory of Portsmouth, R.I. and Lisa Cassidy of Belmont. Grandmother of Stephen and Thomas Rabenold. Sister of Mary O'Neil of Woburn and the late Francis A. Jr. and Robert P. Burns. Also survived by many nieces and nephews. Funeral from the Brown & Hickey Funeral Home 36 Trapelo Road Belmont on Saturday March 9 at 8:00 AM. Followed by a...

Jane M. Haviland, of Belmont, formerly of Stoneham, March 3, 2019. Beloved daughter of the late Edward and Margaret Haviland. Survived by her sister Peggy Haviland Campbell and her brother Peter Haviland and his wife Charlotte Degen. Predeceased by her brother Arthur Haviland and step-sister Janet Arthur. Also survived by her nieces Jane Barrell and her husband, Joe, Julie Campbell and Jennifer Campbell and nephews Colin Haviland and his wife, Nicole, and Eamon J. Haviland. Fondly remembered...

Harland Alexander Riker Jr., 90, of Palm Beach, formerly of London and Cambridge, died peacefully on March 1, surrounded by his family.    Harland was born in Brookline, Massachusetts, on August 1, 1928, to Harland A. Riker and Corinne Maria. Growing up in Newton Highlands, where his Lebanese mother moved the family for its excellent public schools, Harland felt a pull to explore the wider world....

Born on July 5, 1923 in Great Barrington, MA, she was the daughter of the late Charles Stanley Bartlett and Myrtle Ethel Codding Bartlett. In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her beloved husband of 61 years, Stanley Eugene Thomas in 2006, and by her sister, Gladys Haines. Esther was a loving homemaker who enjoyed cooking and sewing. She was also a dog lover and enjoyed skiing. Being active in church was always important to both Esther and Stanley. They were most...

Patricia Ann Dixon (Clifford), a long time resident of Belmont, passed surrounded by loved ones on February 15th, 2019. Pat was a graduate of Belmont High School, Class of 1951. She spent many years as a crossing guard for the students of Belmont. Pat was the beloved wife of the late Wallace Dixon. Pat was the fun-loving mother of Cindy Dixon, of Waltham, Sandra Laino, of Marlboro, Denise Gellar, of Pelham NH, William Dixon, of Ipswich, and the late Diane and Richard Dixon. She was the...

Barbara A. Fontaine (Emerson), at age 81, a lifelong resident of Belmont, MA, died peacefully at home on February 4, 2019, surrounded by loved ones, following a years long, courageous struggle with a relentless neurodegenerative disease. She was born on 6/16/1937 to Ralph W. and Helen M. Emerson (Martignette). She graduated from Belmont High School in 1955, and from Regis College in 1959. She married the late Maurice A. "Pete" Fontaine on July 25, 1959, who she met while they were...

Frank W. Rizzo age 75 of Belmont passed away surrounded by his family at home on January 24, 2019. Frank was a 1961 graduate of Belmont High School. He received a Bachelor's Degree from Fitchburg State College and a Master's Degree from Harvard University. Frank taught Industrial Arts at Watertown High School for over 25 years. He is survived by his beloved wife Judy, of over 50 years. Loving father of David and Anna Rizzo, Lisa and Derek Gilman and Christine and Joseph Kerble....

Edward J. "Ted" King born in Brighton, MA, May 6th1961 died on January 22, 2019 at the age of 57. Beloved son of the late Arthur T. King and Ruth T. (Fahey) King and preceded in death by Sister Barbara L. King, O.P.. He is survived by his Brother Robert and his wife Margaret, James, Marjorie, Paul, Kathleen and her husband Jeffrey as well as many nieces and nephews.   Ted attended Belmont High School and Merrimack College. Shortly...

Susan Margaret Haller (Weisskopf) formerly of Belmont Jan. 19, 2019. She was the wife of the late Dr. John Haller. She was born and raised in Basel, Switzerland where she attended Latin School "Gymnasium" and went on to get a masters degree in Education. She then taught in Basel's schools. In 1964 she and her two small sons followed her husband, a swiss geologist to Belmont, since the latter had accepted a vocation from Harvard University. Besides homemaking and raising the...

  Richard C. (Rick) LaPierre of St. Pete Beach, FL and Hull, MA, formerly of Belmont, MA, passed away surrounded by loving family members on January 10, 2019. He was born in Somerville, MA on March 26, 1950 to Loretta and the late Donald F LaPierre of Belmont, MA.   Rick was an Eagle Scout who graduated from Belmont High School in 1968. He was a true patriot and volunteered soon after graduation to join the U.S. Coast Guard where he served honorably for four years. Rick dearly...

Joan Patricia Tolentino Dunton (November 14, 1934-January 4, 2019)   The curtain rose on Joan Tolentino on November 14, 1934. A full-fledged starring role, not any run-of-the-mill out-of-town tryout. Joan was a consummate theater person from Day One. As an actress, her chiming high soprano carried to the last row of the balcony. Her official acting career started when she was 10 at the Boston Children’s...

Barbara Mercer (Stabins) of Bedford formerly of Belmont January 3, 2019. Beloved wife of the late William Ralph Mercer. A memorial service will be held at Carleton - Willard Village, Bedford. In lieu of flowers donations may be made in her memory to a charity of your choice.

Dr. Jeremy W. Rusk of Bel Air, California and Belmont, Massachusetts, predeceased by his wife of 61 years, Marianne Childress Rusk, father to Michelle Rusk, Ian Rusk and Kristin Rusk Robinson, their spouses Mark Jones, Carolann Rusk and Grant Robinson, and beloved “G-Dad” to six grandchildren, Alexandra and Samuel Jones, Heather, Chloe and Aidan Rusk, and Caleb Robinson, passed peacefully in Los Angeles after an extended battle with cancer.   Born...

Shirley Hsiu-Shen Liu of Watertown, MA, Age 91, died peacefully on December 22, 2018.  She was the beloved spouse of the late David Wei-Ping Liu with whom she was married for fifty-four years.  She is lovingly remembered by her daughter Nancy and spouse Victor Fox of Weston and son Phillip and spouse Kate of Wilmington, DE and cherished grandchildren Ben, Miriam and Tully.  She is also survived by her younger brother Ho-Shen Li of Taipei and many nieces and nephews.  A...

Thomas P. Dillon Jr. of Belmont, formerly of Cambridge December 21, 2018.  Beloved son of the late Thomas P. and Catherine F.(McCarthy). Devoted brother of Helen F. Dillon of Belmont and the late Katherine Benedetto, Richard F. Dillon, Mary T. Houllahan and Margaret Prebensen. Loving uncle of Kaye Kennedy, Margaret Prebensen, Richard, Eileen, Joseph and Bronwyn Dillon, Kathleen Monagle and Stephen Dillon. Also beloved by the Ingalls family. Visiting hour in the Brown & Hickey...