Maurice R. Parent

He was born in Lowell on Aug. 8, 1932, the only child of Agatha (Martin) Parent of Laurel Place in Hudson and the late Arthur L. Parent Jr. In his youth, he sang in church choirs at several Franco-American churches in the Lowell area and continued to do so into adulthood.

He graduated from Lowell High School and played for the varsity football team. He also was a graduate of Emerson College in Boston.

Mr. Parent began his career in radio broadcasting at WHAV in Haverhill, Mass., as a staff announcer. In the 1950s, he joined WMUR-TV Channel 9 in Manchester as a news and booth announcer, where he broadcast live programs for three years. His career path led him to Nashua as an announcer and sales representative for four years during the early 1960s.

Later, for 18 years, he worked for WOTW as a general manager. During this time he oversaw the operation of WCNL-AM/FM in Newport and WDNH, now WOKQ in Dover and launched Big Moe's Golden Oldies in 1970.

In 1984, he returned to WSMN to produce a four-hour Programme Francais on Sunday mornings, which currently is aired on WSNH 900 AM. In 1986, he was named manager of WSMN and publisher of1590 Broadcaster, New Hampshire's largest weekly newspaper, which is now owned by The Sun. He held those posts until 1997.

For several years, his City Beat covered municipal meetings, activities and issues of current and local interest.

In 2001, Mr. Parent co-chaired the French Heritage Committee and was a member of the Association Canado-Americaine's Milette chapter of Nashua. As chairman, he led projects that culminated in the erection of 6-foot-tall bronze sculpture of a mother and son at Le Parc de Notre Renaissance Francaise on Water Street in Nashua.

For the past three years, he was the co-host of a morning talk show, Talkline on WSMN. He also served on the Cable Advisory Board for the City of Nashua and was a professional videographer

He was an active member of the Rotary Club and a past president of Le Club Richelieu of Nashua. He served as director of Junior Achievement, the American Red Cross, the Jaycees, and past-president of the Young Businessmen's Club and the Exchange Club.

In addition to his wife and mother, survivors include three daughters and sons-in-law, Diane and Charles Beaulieu of Pelham, Gloria and Brian Boucher of Epsom, and Elaine and Dennis Rioux of Nashua; a son and daughter-in-law, Ronald H. and Christine Parent of Lowell; 10 grandchildren, David Dionne and his wife Michelle, Charles Beaulieu Jr., April Dion, Dennis Rioux and his wife Barbara, Melissa Rioux, Nicole Dery, Joyelle Parent, Katie McGinn and her husband Brian, Maurice Rondeau and John Rondeau and his wife Sarah; 11 great-grandchildren; and numerous nieces, nephews and cousins.