E. (Gleason) Dubar

Genie E. Dubar Athol – Genie E. (Gleason) Dubar, 104, died Sunday, June 5, 2011 at her home.  She was Athol’s oldest living resident and was the current holder of the Boston Post Cane.      Genie was born in Orange, Massachusetts, March 16, 1907, the daughter of George L. and Ethel (Wixson) Gleason.  She graduated from Orange High School in the class of 1926 and then went on to North Adams Normal School, now Mass College of Liberal Arts.        Her 35 year teaching career began in a one room school house in Colrain with all eight grades.  The next seven years she taught in Greenfield.  Following her marriage to Anthony “Tony” Dubar she was not allowed to teach until the 1950’s, (married women were not allowed to teach until in the 1950’s).  In 1961 she graduated from Worcester State College with a B.S. degree in education, and then she went on for her master’s degree.  She was a teaching principal at Pleasant Street School.  In 1974 she received the Wiegand Memorial Foundation Award for excellence in teaching.  She retired in 1976 and enjoyed oil painting, reading and her summer home on Cape Cod.      She was a member of the Massachusetts Teachers Association, National Education Association, Athol Memorial Hospital Auxiliary, Order of the Eastern Star and Starrett Memorial United Methodist Church.        Her husband of 52 years, Anthony “Tony” Dubar died in 1988 and her son, Donald A. Dubar in 1998.  She leaves a daughter-in-law, Carol K. Dubar, and a granddaughter, Kimberly Dubar Inman, both of Tempe, AZ; three nieces, Sylvia Gray of Athol, Deanna Yeransian of Weston, MA, and Shirley Dupps and her husband Daniel of Heath, OH; four nephews, Attorney Robert Ward and his wife Carol of Granby, MA, Dr. Gene Ward of Manhattan Beach, CA, Albert Dubar of Athol, MA, David Dubar of Camillus, NY, and a cousin, Barbara Meyer and her husband Russell of Enfield, CT.  She also leaves, numerous other family members including nieces, nephews and cousins.      Funeral services will be Wednesday, June 8, 2011 at 1:00 P.M. at Higgins-O’Connor Funeral Home, 146 Main Street, Athol with the Rev. Dr. Beverly Prestwood-Taylor, interim pastor of the Athol Congregational Church, officiating.   There will be a calling hour from 12:00 to 1:00 p.m.  Burial will follow at Highland Cemetery.  In lieu of flowers donations may be made to the Starrett Memorial United Methodist Church, Living Memorial Fund, 40 Island Street, Athol, MA 01331 or to a charity of one's choice.   For more information or to share a memory with the family go to: www.higginsoconnorfuneralhome.com      $(document).ready(function(){ });