Howard J. Britt Sr.

CHELMSFORD - Howard J. Britt Sr., 83, died Thursday, March 27, at the Genesis House in Westford after a lengthy illness. For 61 years, he was the husband of Eleanor L. (Batestrieri) Britt.

He was born in Chelsea on Jan. 10, 1920, a son of the late Howard E. and Irene (Coyne) Britt. He was a 1938 graduate of Chelsea High School.

A decorated Army veteran, Mr. Britt served during World War II as a member of the 146th Armored Signal Company. He was awarded the Purple Heart, the Bronze Star for valor and four battle stars, as well as a good conduct medal prior to his honorable discharge in 1945.

In his earlier years, Mr. Britt was an attendent at the Civilian Community Conservation. He had also worked at the Veterans Administration Hospital in Bedford, Murray's Leather Factory and Finethy's Construction Co. in Woburn, where he was a millwright.

His fondness for horses gave him the confidence to own and operate Britt Pony Park in Tyngsboro, where he trained and raised horses and enjoyed harness racing with his father and brothers. He also enjoyed racing his horses at New England area tracks, including Foxboro Race Track.

Mr. Britt was a communicant of St. John the Evangelist Church in North Chelmsford and was past president of the Merrimack Valley Riding and Driving Club.

Besides his wife, survivors include two sons and their spouses, Howard Jr. and Donna (Lee) Britt, and Robert and Barbara (Chisholm) Britt, all of Wilmington; a daughter and her husband, Valerie A. and Joseph Barbieri of North Chelmsford; two brothers and their spouses, Egdar and Helen (Linkins) Britt of Sebastian, Fla., and William and Louise (Allison) Britt of Ohio; a brother-in-law, Walter Ross of Lowell; a sister-in-law, Norma Britt of Rhode Island; an aunt, Frances and her husband, Michael Meade, of Port Richey, Fla.; eight grandchildren, Sharon and her husband, Scott Vienneau, of Woburn, James Britt and his fianceŽ, Lisa Whittaker, of Derry, N.H., Jason and his wife, Deborah (Grenier) Britt, of Fitzwilliam, N.H., Jodie and her husband, Daniel Morse, of Waldoboro, Maine, Kerry Britt and her fiancŽ, Keith, of Swanzey, N.H., Thomas J. Britt and his fianceŽ, Emily, of Sullivan, N.H., Joseph Barberi and Jeanna Barberi, both of North Chelmsford, and Andrea Barbieri of Davidson, N.C.; nine great-grandchildren; several nieces, nephews and close friends, including Anthony and Karen Carchide, Steven and Eileen Flynn and their children, and Barbara and Bill Cunha.

He was also the father of Thomas Britt, who died in 1995; brother of the late Herbert Britt, Francis Britt and Mary (Ross) Britt; and grandfather of the late Scott Britt and Jennifer Britt.