Donald J. Lake

Donald J. Lake, 85, of Ludlow, passed away peacefully on October 7, 2019. Born in Ludlow, son of the late Ezra and Mildred (Gonyea) Lake, he was a lifelong resident and proudly served in the United States Army. Donald worked for many years as General Manager for Westover Knitting Mills before becoming a real estate agent and appraiser and finally retired as an assessor for the Town of Ludlow. He was a faithful and devoted communicant of St. Elizabeth Parish, also serving as a former eucharistic minister as well as an altar server for many funerals; but his greatest joy in life was spending time with his family. Donald was the beloved husband of the late Rose (Nareau) Lake, who predeceased him in 2016; the loving father to Donna Nogueira and husband Tony, of Ludlow; Lori Stewart, of Granby; and Michael Lake, of Gardner; a dear brother to the late James Lake; and an adoring grandfather to his cherished grandchildren. The family also wishes to extend a special thank you to the Baystate Hospice team as well as the doctors, nurses, and staff at Renaissance Manor on Cabot for the exceptional care and compassion they provided. Funeral services for Donald will be held on Thursday, October 10th. Family and friends are asked to gather directly at St. Elizabeth Parish at 11:00am for a Liturgy of Christian Burial followed by burial with Military Honors in Island Pond Cemetery. There are no visiting hours and Ludlow Funeral Home has been entrusted with the arrangements. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Donald’s memory to St. John the Baptist School, 217 Hubbard St., Ludlow, MA 01056. For additional information, please visit www.ludlowfuneralhome.com