Arlan D. Willard

ARLAN D. WILLARD ATHOL- Arlan D. Willard, 69, of 241 Batchelder Road, was stricken ill and died Saturday in Umass Memorial Medical Center, University Campus Worcester. He leaves his wife of 44 years, Catherine A. (Reid) Willard; three sons, Matthew Willard of Boston, Andrew Willard of Denver , Colorado, and Robert Willard of Athol; two daughters, Elizabeth McKinnon of West Roxbury, and Mary Hosman of Manchester, MA; a sister, Jane St. Lawrence of Tully, and a brother Robert Willard of Camden Delaware; six grandchildren, and many nieces and nephews. He was born and raised in Orange, Feb. 9, 1933, a son of Wales E. and Evelyn (Peterson) Willard, and has resided in Athol since 1957. He graduated from Orange High School in 1950, and Worcester Junior College in 1964. An Air Force veteran of the Korean Conflict, he served as a communications specialist and was stationed in Korea and England. Mr. Willard was employed at the L. S. Starrett Company for 45 years, retiring in 1995 as the Assistant Treasurer and Credit Manager. He was a member of Our Lady Immaculate Church, and was a member and past grand knight of the Athol Council 1182 Knights of Columbus. Since his retirement, he was an assistant at the Murphy Funeral Home. The funeral will be held Thursday from the J. Edward Murphy Funeral Home, 137 Main Street, with a Mass at 10 a.m. in Our Lady Immaculate Church 192 School Street. Burial will follow in Gethsemane Cemetery. Calling hours at the funeral home are 6 to 8 p.m. Wednesday. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations be made to Our Lady Immaculate Church Building Fund, 192 School Street, Athol, 01331, or Orange Scholarship Foundation, P.O. Box 298, Orange, 01364-0298. $(document).ready(function(){ });