John D. Litster Sr.

John D. Litster, Sr., 75, of Marlborough, died Sunday, August 7, 2011 at Marlborough Hospital. Born in Bennington, VT, he was the son of the late John R. Litster, Jr. and Elizabeth (Dewey) Litster and the husband of M. Joanne( Murray) Litster, of Marlborough. He served on active duty in the US Navy from 1955-1957, then transferred to the US Naval Reserve, while continuing his education. John graduated in 1961 from Boston University, with a degree in Communications and Public Relations. He had been employed in the Human Resources Dept. at the Polaroid Corp. for many years before retiring in 1991.Wishing to remain active, he returned to the workplace as a placement and career counselor at WPI and later at Tatnuck Booksellar, Westborough. He was an accomplished photographer, voracious reader, enjoyed gardening, fishing in Vermont, the Red Sox, and Patriots. Besides his wife, he is survived by his sons, John D. Litster, Jr. and his wife Jane Sullivan of San Francisco, CA, Christopher M. Litster and his wife Mary of N. Andover, MA, his daughters, Mary E. Cockerhan of Alexandria, VA, Deborah J. Litster and her partner Kathy LaPosta, of Leominster, MA, his sister, Janet Rideout and her husband Ralph of Fuquay Varina, NC, and his grandchildren, whom he adored, Jeremy and Meredith Cockerhan, John and Brigid Litster and Maxwell, Caleb and Oliver Litster. He was also the father- in- law of the late John T. Cockerhan who died in 2010.A funeral mass will be celebrated on Friday, Aug. 12, 2011 at 10:00 am at St. Matthias Church, 409 Hemenway St., Marlborough, MA. Burial will follow at Evergreen Cemetery, Wilson St., Marlborough. Visiting hrs.will be held on Thursday, Aug. 11, 2011 from 4-7 pm at the Slattery Funeral Home, Inc., 40 Pleasant St., Marlborough, MA. Donations may be made to St. Matthias Parish, 409 Hemenway St., Marlborough, MA 01752. John's family wishes to thank the staff of the Emergency Room and the ICU of Marlborough Hospital for the care given to John and the kindness and understanding shown to them.