Penelope A. (Smith) Colburne, 96, of Reading, formerly of North Reading and East Boston, passed away on Friday, December 13, 2024 at the High Pointe House in Haverhill. She was the beloved wife of the late Ronald D. Colburne, Sr.

Born in Boston, MA, on May 3, 1928, she was the daughter of the late Robert C. and Margaret V. (Coughlin) Smith. She was a graduate of East Boston High School, Class of 1946.

Penelope grew up in East Boston with her late sisters, Helen M. Potter and Natalie V. McCarthy. She vacationed in North Reading, where she met the love of her life, Ron. They were happily married and lived on Martins Pond for just shy of 50 years.  She was a school bus driver for C&W Transportation for 12 years and retired from Compugraphic in 1994, where she worked for 17 years.

Her home was always open to all, whether it was someone who needed a place to stay or just a meal. She baked for everyone and was well known for her spaghetti dinners and famous for her brownies.

She will be missed by her loving family, who have many happy memories of summers spent at their beloved Lanes End on Lake Winnipesaukee. She had been a resident of Reading for the past 15 years and was a member of St. Theresa’s Church in North Reading.

Family members include her loving son, Ronald D. Colburne, Jr. and his wife, Susan, of North Reading; her daughters, Pennianne Mullarky and her husband, Dana, of Methuen; Pamela Colburne and her husband, Mark Bossard, of Bradenton, FL; and Priscilla Colburne and her fiancé, Patrick Messer, of Pineview, GA; three grandchildren, Ryan Mullarky, Courtney DelMonico, and Ross Colburne; two great-grandchildren, Tyler LeBaron and Baylee DelMonico; and two very special nieces, Peggy Donaher and Betsy McCarthy.

Her funeral will be held from the Croswell Funeral Home, 19 Bow Street, on Wednesday, December 18, beginning at 9:15 AM, followed by a 10:30 AM Funeral Mass at St. Theresa’s Church, 63 Winter Street, North Reading. Calling hours will be held on Tuesday, December 17, from 4 to 8 PM. Interment will be in Riverside Cemetery in North Reading. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made in her memory to the American Heart Association, 7272 Greenville Ave., Dallas, TX 75231.

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Christopher Joseph “Wheat” Gleason – 75, of Wakefield MA, sadly left us on December 6, 2024, after a 20 year battle with heart disease. Christopher died at Tufts Medical Center in Boston, and will fondly be remembered and greatly missed by his large family and circle of friends from North Reading, Wakefield and beyond.

Beloved brother of Therese Park-Hyde of NY, MaryAnn O’Donnell of CA, James Gleason of FL, Margaret Bailey of Tewksbury MA, Julie Gleason of Arlington MA, Charles “Chuck” Gleason of Sandown NH, Anthony Gleason of Ashby MA, Ann Gleason Schnier of North Andover MA and Chris “Parker” Park. He is also survived by former wife Diane Smith.

Christopher was predeceased by parents Charlotte (Avery) Gleason and John W. Gleason and siblings Joan Cautela, John A. Gleason, Elizabeth “Betsy” Gleason, Joseph J. Gleason and the Love of his Life, JoAnne Fantuccio.

Christopher was born in Boston, MA on October 23,1949 and moved with his family to North Reading where he attended the local schools, graduating from NRHS in 1967. Shortly after high school Christopher enlisted in the US Army and served in Southeast Asia for 18 months, receiving an Honorable discharge in 1970.

Christopher worked various jobs in and around Boston after the military and attended Fisher College. For many years he was the day shift Parking Garage Manager at 60 State Street near Fanuel Hall which was his most challenging and favorite job. He moved to Wakefield in 1986 where he enjoyed sitting in the sun in the backyard while listening to the Red Sox, doing a crossword puzzle or working in his Garden Shed. Chris enjoyed thought provoking movies and watching hockey, baseball and football on TV and was an avid reader spending a lot of time in the local library. He was a kind intelligent man and could hold a conversation easily if he was in the right frame of mind, but enjoyed his privacy to a great degree. He would seldom answer the telephone and would sit for hours on his private 2nd floor porch reading. Chris was a colorful character in and around Wakefield and made friends with many local people due to his love of dogs and his uncanny memory for the names of people and their pets.

Friends and family will be notified of the details of a planned memorial service. In lieu of flowers memorial donations may be made in his memory to the charity of one’s choice. Arrangements are under the direction of the Croswell Funeral Home, 19 Bow Street, North Reading.

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Alice B. (Hoyt) Sweeney – 89, of Lincoln Plantation, Maine passed away on Monday, November 25, 2024 at Coos County Nursing Hospital in West Stewartstown, NH. She was the beloved wife of the late Paul L. Sweeney, Sr.

Born in Stoneham, MA on August 29, 1935. She was the daughter of the late Alfred G. Hoyt, Sr. and Anna (Jaworski) Hoyt. She was raised and attended school in North Reading and was a graduate of Reading Memorial High School.

Alice was a retired Assistant Treasurer and worked for fifty years for the Mass Bank for Savings in Reading. She has been a resident of Lincoln Plantation,   Maine for the past seven years.

One of Alice’s favorite time of the year was the Christmas Holidays and spending time cross country skiing with her siblings, nieces and nephews.

Family members include her loving son, Paul L. Sweeney, Jr. of Lincoln Plantation, Maine; her brothers, Herbert Hoyt of Foxboro and Jason Hoyt of New Hampshire; her sister Ruth Ross of North Andover; she was predeceased by her brothers, Alfred G. Hoyt, Jr., Richard E. “Dick” Hoyt, Sr. and Phillip Hoyt and predeceased by sisters, Arline Lumb-Garrington, Barbara Enos and Kathy Cartwright.

There will be no calling hours and services will be private for family only. Memorial donations may be made in her memory to the Alzheimer’s Association, MANH Chapter Headquarters, 320 Nevada St., Suite 201, Newton, MA 02460 (alz.org/MANH). Arrangements are under direction of the Croswell Funeral Home, 19 Bow Street, North Reading. www.croswellfuneralhome.com

Constance T. (DeAngelis) Prasinos – age 86, resident of North Reading for 57 years, passed away on November 16, 2024, in Miami, FL. She was born on January 11, 1938, to the late Joseph and Anna (Lussiano) DeAngelis. Connie grew up in Arlington attending Saint Agnes School and Matignon School. She went onto Chandler Business School in Boston and worked for John Hancock Insurance. After marrying her loving husband of 64 years, Anthony G. Prasinos, in 1960 the family lived in Cambridge and then moved to North Reading in 1966. A homemaker most of her life, she also worked at Addison-Wesley Publishing in Reading in the 1980s managing inventory control. Family was most important to Connie and she was a wonderful wife, mother, and grandmother.

She is survived by her husband, Anthony G. Prasinos; her sons, Jeffrey G. Prasinos of Wellington, FL, and Darren J. Prasinos of Miami, FL; and grandson Alec J. Prasinos of Washington DC. She is also survived by her brother, Joseph DeAngelis; and pre-deceased by her sister, Shirley (DeAngelis) Valentino.

Her funeral will be held on Thursday, November 21 at 1:00 PM at the Chapel in Woodlawn Cemetery, 302 Elm Street, Everett, MA. Arrangements are by the Croswell Funeral Home, 19 Bow Street, North Reading. In lieu of flowers memorial donations may be made in her memory to the charity of one’s choice.

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Claire  M.  (Bauer)  Firriello – 80, of North Reading and formerly of Yonkers, New York, passed away on Monday, November 11, 2024, at the Cedar View Rehabilitation and Healthcare Center in Methuen. She was the beloved wife of the late John J. Firriello, who died in 2022.

Born in New York City, New York on June 8, 1944, she was the daughter of the late George and Rose (Gehring) Bauer.

She graduated from Saint Savior High School in Brooklyn, New York, and later graduated with a Bachelor of Science from the Most Holy Redeemer, in New York City. She worked as a Paralegal for a Law Office.

Claire has been a resident of North Reading for the past 45 years and a member of St. Michael Parish in North Andover.

She was known to be fun  and made people laugh. Claire was always willing to help people, including helping at St. Michael’s Parish. She loved to read, sew and she loved being with friends. Claire especially loved her two granddaughters.

Family members include her loving son, Paul Firriello, and her two granddaughters, Siena Firriello and Lyla Firriello.

Her Funeral Mass will be Celebrated at St. Michael Parish, 169 Main Street, North Andover on Monday, November 18 at 10:00 AM. Calling hours will be held on Sunday, November 17 from 3:00 to 6:00 PM at the Croswell Funeral Home, 19 Bow Street, North Reading. Burial will be in Riverside Cemetery in North Reading.

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