Robert F. Swenson – 72, of Pickens, South Carolina, formerly of North Reading and North Andover, died on June 17, 2020, in Easley, South Carolina.

He was born in Stoneham, MA on September 4, 1947.  He was the son of the late Alfred A. and Isabelle C. (Millar) Swenson. He was raised and attended school in North Reading.

Robert was a U.S. Marine Corps Veteran of the Vietnam Conflict, he served at age 17, from 1965 to 1969. He was a Lance Corporal and he received the Purple Heart Medal in combat.

When he came back from serving in Vietnam for the U.S. Marines, he worked for the Hood Milk Company and then he bartended for the Horseshoe Restaurant in North Reading for a number of years. His nickname was  midnight.

He was loved for his humor and had an infectious laugh. He had a great voice to sing his favorite country songs with any Gordon Lightfoot song, especially playing his Harmonia to the Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald. He loved bowling and was on the TV show Candlepins for Cash in the late 70’s and early eighties. He said on the show, “I work for Hood Milk and I have the longest route in town”. He also  played in the  North Reading Men’s Softball League for several years.

He loved the outdoors, fishing, golfing, BBQ’s  and he loved to garden and grow his own fruits and vegetables. He was very proud to serve our country. He especially loved animals, over the years he had many dogs and too many cats to count.

Family members include his sons, Ryan Legrow and his wife Patricia and Robert Swenson, Jr.; daughters, Amy Swenson and Sara Swenson; his sister Helen M. (Swenson) McNabola; grandchildren, Heather, Emma, Ryan and Aiden, Denise Risacher and Casey Riviera; great grandchildren, Grace and Brayden. He was the brother of the late Alfred and Thomas Swenson.

Calling hours will be held at the Croswell Funeral Home, 19 Bow Street, North Reading on Friday morning, July 12 from 9:30 to 11:30 AM, followed by a graveside service in Riverside Cemetery, North Reading at 11:50 AM. Memorial donations may be made in his memory to the charity of one’s choice. www.croswellfuneralhome.com

John Puglia – 81, passed away on Monday, June 17, 2024 in his home in North Reading.  He attended Reading High School and later North Reading High School when the town opened its first high school.  While in school he participated in sports and was a member of the first North Reading Hornets football team.  He also met the love of his life Joan Puglia whom he married in 1964 and celebrated 60 years of marriage earlier this year.  He attended Lowell Tech (now UMASS Lowell)  where he received a degree in electrical engineering.  He served 2 years in the National Guard before embarking on a 40 year career of engineering and later as a sales director for Cooper Power Systems.

John had a gift for all things mechanical.  He loved to work on cars and household projects for family and friends.  He was a devoted family man and raised his two sons in North Reading where he was always active helping them and their friends along the way.  He had a love for football and enjoyed watching his sons play as well as later enjoying the Patriots dynasty.  He is survived by his loving wife of 60 years Joan Puglia.  Also survived by his 2 brothers, Kenneth and Carl Puglia; his sister Laurice Haines and his 2 sons and daughters-in-law, Michael and wife Dawn of Reading and Matthew and his wife Megan of North Reading.  He is also survived by 5 grandchildren, Katelyn and Lauren of Reading and Jason, Brooke and Makenna of North Reading.

Calling hours are 9:30-11:00 AM on Monday June 24, 2024 at Croswell Funeral Home in North Reading, followed by a service at 11:00 AM. Interment will be in Riverside Cemetery in North Reading. Memorial donations may be made in his memory to the charity of one’s choice. www.croswellfuneralhome.com

Frances Mary Cheney – 77, of Wakefield and formerly of North Reading, died Tuesday, June 18, 2024 at the Lahey Hospital and Medical Center in Burlington.

Born in Chelsea, MA on October 8, 1946, Frances was the loving daughter of the late Frank and Mary (Kalkanajian) Stanuchenski. She was a graduate of North Reading High School, Class of 1964 and later attended Salem State.

Frances was an Aerospace Quality Control Inspector for many years, she retired in 2014. She was an active member of St. Theresa’s Church in North Reading, where she was a Eucharistic Minister, sang in the choir, and worked in the Rectory. She volunteered at many church and town events.

Frances also worked for the Sawtelle Family Hospice House in Reading for 22 years and later did Private Home Care. She was a member of the Quannapowitt Players in Reading, Council on Aging in North Reading and Wakefield, the Land Utilization in North Reading.

Frances had such a passion for life and happiness. She was very kind, generous, and always reaching out to anyone who needed help. She loved her family ever so much and thoroughly enjoyed hosting dinner parties at her home monthly. She also loved to travel all over, particularly to Europe, Hawaii, the islands and Mexico. Frances could frequentlytrffvgh be found at the beach, on the boat, taking a motorcycle ride, or at events in town. She also loved the theatre, ballets, opera, hot air balloons and so much more. She especially loved her Yellow 2002 Thunderbird Classic and going to car shows. She has been a resident of Wakefield for the past 12 years.

Family members include her loving husband, Philip Goddard; her son, James C. Cheney, Sr.; her brother, Wayne Stanuchenski; her grandchildren, Christopher James Cheney, Kathleen Rose Cheney and James Christopher Cheney, Jr., and other loved extended family members.

Her Funeral Mass will be held on Tuesday, June 25 at 10:30 AM at St. Theresa’s Church, 63 Winter Street, North Reading. Please go directly to church. Calling hours will be held on Monday, June 24 from 4:00 to 8:00 PM at the Croswell Funeral Home, 19 Bow Street, North Reading. Interment will be in Riverside Cemetery in North Reading. www.croswellfuneralhome.com

William (Bill) Emerson O’Brien- 92,  passed away peacefully at home on his cherished farm on Sunday June 16, 2024 surrounded by his large loving family. Bill was born and raised in Reading, Massachusetts where he attended and graduated from Reading High School. While in high school he excelled at many things to include baseball, football, basketball and was a class officer. He worked at his father’s Texaco service station and also met the love of his life, Barbara Banfield.

After graduation in 1950 he entered service to his country in the U.S. Navy. He very proudly served aboard the U.S.S. Missouri assigned to the Pacific 7^th Fleet and was quick to point out that the Empire of Japan surrendered on the deck to end their involvement in WWII. He toured the world with the Navy serving from 1950 – 1955. While in the Navy he traveled up and down the east coast of the United States, traveled through the Panama Canal, Hawaii and Japan. He  also earned the title “Shellback” having crossed the equator. He was a combat veteran having served in the Korean Conflict. He earned the Korean Service Medal (2 stars), National Defense Service Medal, China Service Medal and the United Nations Medal.

Upon his Honorable Discharge from the Navy he came home and married Barbara who is predeceased. Together they raised 5 children William Jr, Debbie, Lisa, Dennis and Timmy on Redmond Ave in North Reading. He also started the first street sweeping company in New England, W.E. O’Brien and Sons Inc which he owned and operated for over 50 years. His family continued to grow when he married his second wife, Lynnda Cole, and became father to Joddie, Randy, Christopher and Heidi Govoni. That is when he fulfilled his dream of buying a farm on Park Street in North Reading. Together they had Aimee, Colin and Mical.

Later in life Bill married Frances Kathryn and became a dad to Alex and Bowen Cain and also Richard and Susan Bell.

Bill was a jack of all trades and did a little of everything. He bought and sold horses, drove street sweepers, rubbish trucks, hauled freight to NY and NJ, plowed snow and most recently he could be found sitting outside his roadside farmstand at Windswept Farm, as he called it. Bill was extremely proud of all his children and was thrilled to have worked alongside them at various times in all of his endeavors. He was a proud Irishman, loved Irish music, Irish blessings and any holiday or reason to get all of his family together. In his final days he was quick to tell everyone who visited that he had everything he ever wanted and could move with no regrets.

He is survived by his children William O’Brien Jr, Dennis O’Brien and his wife Sharon (Zimmerman), Timothy O’Brien and his wife Linda, Debbie (O’Brien) Duke and her husband John, Lisa (O’Brien) Sweeney and her husband Jack, Aimee O’Brien and her fiancé, Kevin Watt, Colin O’Brien, Mical O’Brien and his wife Alison (Maher), Joddie (Govoni) Wade and her husband John, Heidi (Govoni) Strong and her husband Dan, Randy Govoni and is wife Sharon, Chris Govoni and his wife Sue, Alex Cain, Bowen Cain, Richard Bell and his wife Lindsey and Sue Bell and her husband Jeremy. In addition he is survived by 26 grandchildren and 25 great-grandchildren. He is predeceased by his siblings sister Barbara, and brothers Philip H. “Nick”, and Tom O’Brien.

Funeral from the Croswell Funeral Home, 19 Bow Street, North Reading on Saturday, June 22, 2024 at 9:15 AM, followed by a 10:30 AM Funeral Mass at St. Theresa’s Parish, 63 Winter Street, North Reading. Calling hours will be held on Friday, June 21, 2024 from 4:00 to 8:00 PM.  Interment will be private at a later date. In lieu of flowers memorial donations may be made in his memory to: Tunnels 2 Towers Foundation or to St. Jude’s.

www.croswellfuneralhome.com

 Scott Anthony Bruno- 34, of Huntington Beach CA died unexpectedly at his home on May 9, 2024. He was born in Stoneham MA May 27, 1989.

Scott was a graduate of North Reading High School. He received his bachelor’s degree from Johnson and Wales University in Denver.

Family, friends and music were Scott’s passion. Through the years you were likely to find him listening to music or sharing a new song with family and friends.

Scott enjoyed going to school, living and working in Colorado. One of his favorite activities was attending as many concerts, shows and festivals as he could . His favorite venue was Red Rocks Amphitheater. Whether he was seeing Slightly Stoopid, 311, or String Cheese Incident, his love of music was evident .

Leaving Colorado in 2017 wasn’t easy but he had an opportunity to be closer to the family in California. Scott and his brother Josh always dreamed of living at the beach and the move to California made that dream come true. They lived, worked and surfed together creating many wonderful memories. Being in California meant more time with family, especially his nephews. They were his greatest joy and their love for each other was obvious. Whenever they saw him, they ran to him and hugged him tight. The family was together again, after many years of living apart. Those 7 years created many wonderful memories for everyone.

Scott made friends wherever he went and kept his friends close. Today his friends are across the country, from Massachusetts to Colorado to California.

Scott leaves behind a legacy of genuine kindness and love for his family and friends. They will always remember his amazing smile and his contagious laughter. He brought positive energy to any gathering and he made sure everyone felt loved and welcomed. He was a gem of a human being. Scott’s smile, energy and light will be deeply missed.

Family members include his loving parents, Donna (Arsenault) and Paul Martell, and the late Peter J Bruno; his brothers Joshua, Christopher and his wife Nicole; his nephews Dylan and Evan Bruno and many aunts, uncles, cousins and friends.

He was predeceased by his grandparents; Nancy and James Arsenault, Mary and Anthony Bruno and Edna and Joseph Martell.

Visitation will be held on Friday, November 8 from 4:00 to 7:00 pm at Croswell Funeral Home, 19 Bow Street, North Reading MA. A Funeral Mass will be held on Saturday, November 9 , 10:30 am at St. Theresa’s Church, 63 Winter Street, North Reading MA. Interment will immediately follow at Riverside Cemetery in North Reading MA. In lieu of flowers memorial donations may be made in his memory to: Pine Street Inn Attn: Development Office 444 Harrison Avenue Boston MA 02118 pine street inn.org/donate