Mary Milan

Mary Helen (Jastrab) Milan, 94, died of natural causes at the Deaconess-Nashoba Hospital, Ayer, MA, on Saturday afternoon, May 9th, while in the loving company of her son, Thomas, his wife, Ellie, and her granddaughter, Christine. She had been in long-term care at the Apple Valley Center, Ayer, for the past year. Her former address was 20 Leighton Street, Pepperell.
Born in Lowell, MA, on April 24, 1915, she was the eldest of six children born to the late Michael and Joanna (Grzesik) Jastrab. She received her high school diploma from Lowell High. In 1938 she married the late Thomas Arthur Milan of Pepperell, and they became the proud parents of four children - Marilyn Milan Kab (Sam) of San Diego, CA, Thomas Edward Milan (Ellie) of Pepperell, Michael Arthur Milan (Betsy) of Vallejo, CA, and the late Robert David Milan.
During her many years as a resident of Pepperell, she was a communicant of St. Joseph's Catholic Church. She was also a life member of the Pepperell VFW Post 3291 Ladies Auxiliary, a charter member of the East Pepperell Mother's Club, and a contributor in her small way to many charities. She enjoyed her garden, her eclectic collection of dolls, stamps, coins and vintage clothing; reading 3 newspapers a day, and surrounded in her home by many magazines and books. She also enjoyed music, singing and dancing, and in her early years, was an avid swimmer and tennis player.
When her children were all in Pepperell schools, she went into the working world, first at Bemis Bag Company in Pepperell, then at Symphonic in Lowell, and finally as part of the cafeteria staff at North Middlesex Regional High School in Townsend. She was also the popular and well-liked AVON lady in East Pepperell for many years.
She was predeceased by her beloved husband, Art Milan (d.1980) and their son, Robert David Milan (d.1988); her brothers, Edward (d.1988) and Walter (d.1931) Jastrab, and her sisters, Helen Jastrab (d.1995) and Anna Reischauer (d.1999). She is survived by her three remaining children, Marilyn, Thomas, and Michael; and also her dear sister, Florence Dee, of Pepperell. She was the loving grandmother of six granddaughters (Laurie, Joanne, Karen, Michelle, Lisa, and Christine) and great-grandmother of seven. She also leaves behind 14 nieces and nephews and numerous cousins, including their families, who were a big part of her long life.
Funeral Services will be held on Friday, May 15, 2009 with a funeral mass celebrated at 11 a.m. in St. Joseph's Church, 28 Tarbell Street, Pepperell, MA. Relatives and friends may call at the Marchand Funeral Home, 16 Pleasant Street, Pepperell, MA Thursday from 4 to 8 p.m. Burial in St. Joseph Cemetery. Funeral Director, Normand E. Marchand. In lieu of flowers, kindly make a donation to your local chapter of the AMERICAN RED CROSS.