Jeanne Loraine Bellavance

LOWELL, Mass. -- Jeanne Loraine Bellavance, 79, of Lowell, Mass., died peacefully on Tuesday, March 9, 2010, at Fairhaven Healthcare Center with her son by her side.

Ms. Bellavance was born on February 3, 1931, in Nashua, N.H., the daughter of the late Conrad and Rose (Caron) Bellavance.

Jeanne was a graduate of Nashua High School. She moved to California in her 20s where she lived for several years, and where her son was born. They returned to Nashua a year later to be closer to family. She also lived at times in Lawrence, Lowell and Methuen, Mass., and in Hudson, N.H. In her final years she returned to Lowell to live with her son.

During high school, and for a time after, she worked as a nanny for Dr. and Mrs. Lavaque of Nashua, helping to raise their children. After returning from California in the early 1960s she worked for Raytheon in Andover, Mass. as a traceability analyst in the missile systems division for more than 26 years until her retirement in 1993.

Growing up she attended services at Infant Jesus Parish in Nashua.

Like her mother, she loved to sew and made many of her own and others clothes. She was an avid sports fan, especially football. She would always root for the underdog no matter who was playing -- unless it was Notre Dame. In her retirement she enjoyed making jigsaw puzzles, amassing a collection of more than 1,200.

Jeanne is predeceased by her brothers, Robert, David, and Donald Bellavance; and a sister Patricia Salamy.

She is survived by her son, John S. Bellavance and his partner, John McKinnon, of Lowell, Mass.; six sisters, her twin sister, Jeannette Baker of Hudson, N.H., Estelle Duncan of Nashua, N.H., Donna-May Bellavance and her husband Alvin Bonnette of Nashua, N.H., Shirley Gaudette and her husband Maurice of Nashua, N.H., Susanne Thibault and her husband Albert of Sanbornton, N.H. and Sandra Lozeau and her husband Kenneth of Littleton, N.H.; a brother, Paul Bellavance and his wife, Dolores, of Nashua, N.H.; as well as many nieces, and nephews.

She is also survived by her sister-in-law, Mrs. Donald Bellavance and niece (whom she loved dearly), and nephew-in-law, Andrea and Albert Romero, all of Merrimack, N.H.

Her son, John, wishes to extend his love and appreciation to them for the help and support they have given over the years.

Jeanne is remembered as a happy, giving and loving person who always had a smile and a compliment to everyone she met. She was known to say, "Life's too short" to stay angry or resentful and hoped we could all learn to get along better.

SERVICES: Calling hours will be held on Friday, March 12, 2010 from 2 to 4pm and 6 to 8 p.m., at the ST. LAURENT FUNERAL HOME, 116 ELM STREET, NASHUA, NH 03060. A Mass of Christian burial will be celebrated on Saturday, March 13, 2010 at noon at Blessed John XXIII Parish, Infant Jesus Parish, 121 Allds Street, Nashua. All are invited to attend.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Jeanne's name to the Alzheimer's Association of NH, One Bedford Farms Drive, Suite 105, Bedford, NH 03110 or the American Lung Association of NH, 9 Cedarwood Dr., Unit 12, Bedford, NH 03110.

Condolences may be offered at www.stlaurentfuneralhome.com.

(FAMILY NOTICE)