Lawrence N. Boutiette

Lawrence N. Boutiette, 93, of South Grafton, died on Thursday, October 23, 2008, in Beaumont Rehabilitation and Skilled Nursing Center, Northbridge, after a long illness.

He leaves his wife of 71 years, Rita A. (Bonner) Boutiette, of Whitney Place, Northbridge; 2 children: Judith A. Zaleski of Millbury and Laurence N. Boutiette of Grafton; 4 grandchildren: Tracey Zaleski of Northbridge, Joseph Zaleski of North Brookfield, Jeffrey Boutiette of West Millbury, and Elizabeth Trahan of Grafton; 4 great-grandchildren; and 2 great-great-grandchildren. He was predeceased by 2 sisters and a brother. He was born in the Farnumsville section of South Grafton on May 7, 1915, a son of the late Nelson J. and Mary E. (Desmarais) Boutiette, and lived there until 1977 when he moved to West Wareham. He returned to Grafton in 2006. He was a graduate of Grafton High School and a U.S. Army veteran of World War II. A rifleman in the 423rd Infantry Regiment, 106th "Golden Lion" Infantry Division, he participated in the Rhineland, Ardennes and Central Europe campaigns. He fought in the Battle of the Bulge, was taken prisoner by the Germans, and remained a P.O.W. until the liberation of Germany. He was awarded the Combat Infantryman Badge, the Army Good Conduct Medal, the Prisoner Of War Medal, The American Theater Campaign Medal, the European African Middle Eastern Theater Campaign Medal and the World War II Victory Medal.

Mr. Boutiette was a wire tester at the New England High Carbon Wire Co., Millbury, for 20 years before he retired in 1977. Prior to that, he worked at Wuskanut Mills, Farnumsville, for several years. He was a member of St. James Catholic Parish, South Grafton; Wareham Lodge #1548, Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks; South Grafton Post #1497, Veterans of Foreign Wars; Benedict Council #2379, Knights of Columbus, South Grafton; and the American Ex-Prisoners of War Assn. He enjoyed bowling, fishing, and travel.

The funeral will be held on Monday, October 27, from Turgeon Funeral Home, 56 Main St., Millbury, with a Funeral Mass at 10 a.m in St. James Catholic Church, 89 Main St., South Grafton. Burial with military honors will follow in Fairview Cemetery, South Grafton. Calling hours at the funeral home will be Sunday, October 26, from 3 to 5 PM. Donations in his memory may be made to the Grafton Center Library, 33 Grafton Common, Grafton, MA 01519.