Arleen Veronica McNichol

Montville - Arleene Veronica (Lake) McNichol, 84, of Uncasville, entered into eternal life on Tuesday, April 23, 2013, at Lawrence + Memorial Hospital, peacefully surrounded by her family.

She was born on July 23, 1928, the daughter of Joseph and Louise (Larmonie) Lake. She graduated from the former Chapman Tech and the New London Business College. She last worked for Amerigas as a credit manager.

She sat on the Cancer Board locally and in Wallingford and ran the original Candlelighters, a group of parents with teenagers with cancer. She taught catechism for many years at St. John's in Uncasville and was active with the RCIA team from its inception.

Arleene enjoyed painting, drawing, and spending time with her dog, Molly. She was a dyed in the wool Giants and Red Sox fan and enjoyed watching the UCONN Husky women and men's basketball teams. She wrote skits for her class reunions and went out to lunch with her classmates once a year. She also belonged to the Re Hay Girls. She had a way with words and was a "what you see is what you get" kind of gal.

Arleene married the love of her life, Myles J. McNichol Sr. on June 3, 1950. She was the mother of Mary Louise McNichol, Myles J. McNichol Jr. and his wife, Elizabeth, Matthew McNichol and his wife, Diana and Maura Swietek and her husband, Michael. In addition to her husband and children, she is survived by her siblings, Bernice Ray, Louise Gates, Louis Lake, Carl Lake and Thomas Lake and his wife, Sandra. She was the grandmother to Marissa, Ju-Lee and Scot Swanson, Joanna Eldridge and her husband, Justin, Meghan McNichol and her husband, Trent Gerbers and Mathew McNichol; as well as 5 great-grandchildren. She loved her grandchildren and would hold sleepovers between Christmas and New Year's when they were younger.

She was predeceased by her parents; and her brother, Irvin Lake; and sisters, Viola Preston and Helen Skovinski.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 10 a.m. Monday, April 29, 2013, at St. Johns the Evangelist Church, 22 Maple Ave., Montville. Interment will follow in St. Mary Cemetery, New London. The family will receive relatives and friends from 5 to 8 p.m. Sunday, April 28, 2013, at the Thomas L. Neilan & Sons Funeral Home, 12 Ocean Ave., New London.

Donations in her memory may be made to the St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38015.

www.neilanfuneralhome.com