Paul H. Collette Sr.

Paul H. Collette Sr. retired Fitchburg businessman, WWII vet; 88 ASHBURNHAM Paul H. Collette Sr., 88, of Ashburnham, died Friday, July 25, in the Leo P. Lachance Center in Gardner, after a long illness. His wife of 58 years, Alice M. "Allie" (Walsh) Collette, died in December of 2005. He leaves one son, Paul H. Collette Jr., and his wife, Anne, of Pawcatuck, CT; four daughters, Kathleen L. Horton, and her husband, David, of No. Truro, MA, Lois C. Allen, and her husband, David, of Saco, Maine, Jane A. Lapointe, and her husband, Robert "Butch" Lapointe, of Fitchburg, and Susan M. Rexford, and her husband, Richard M., of Ashburnham; one brother, Richard O. Collette, of Townsend; one sister, Rita McCann of Bennington, VT. He also leaves 7 grandchildren, Brian R. Lapointe, and his wife, Shara, Elyssa J. Lapointe, Sarah C. Allen, David P. Allen, Matthew P. Collette, John L. Collette and Emily A. Collette; one great-granddaughter, Madeleine R. Lapointe; and several nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by a sister, L. Valerie Collette. Mr. Collette was an Auto Mechanic and owned and operated the former Meacham's Service Station in Fitchburg from 1960 till his retirement in 1977. He was a member of St. Denis Parish in Ashburnham, the British American Association, the American Legion, Ashburnham Post #142, the Eastwood Club, and the Turnpike Road and Gun Club, and was an avid reader. His hobby was building and maintaining his camp and home on Lower Neaukeg in Ashburnham. He was a Veteran of World War II, serving in the U.S. Army as Tech 5th grade and served in the Asiatic Pacific Theatre, seeing action in the Philippines. He was born in Fitchburg, on October 5, 1919, a son of the late Hector E., and Mary Louise P. (Drinkwine) Collette and lived in Fitchburg until buying a summer home on Lower Neaukeg in 1951 and later made it his permanent home in 1973 and lived there ever since. COLLETTE His Funeral will be held on Monday, July 29, from the Smith-Mallahy-Masciarelli Funeral Home, 243 Water St., Fitchburg, with a Mass at 11:00 a.m. at St. Denis Church, 85 Main St., Ashburnham, MA. Interment with Military Honors will be held at a later date at the Massachusetts Veteran Memorial Cemetery in Winchendon. Calling hours at the Funeral Home are 6 to 8 p.m., on Sunday, July 27. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Gordon E. Erickson Ashburnham Ambulance Fire Rescue Fund, 12 Memorial Drive, Ashburnham, MA 01430 or may be left at the Funeral Home.