Gladys I. (Poirier) Finnegan

Gladys I. (Poirier) Finnegan, 99, of Applewood Drive, Ipswich, and wife of the late Richard B. Finnegan, died Tuesday August 1, 2017 in Port Rehabilitation Center, Newburyport following her brief illness.

Born in Ipswich July 5, 1918, daughter of the late Theodule and Antoinette (Boucher) Poirier, she was  raised in Ipswich where she attended the former St. Stanislaus Parochial and Manning High Schools. Married in St. Stanislaus Church in 1942 the Finnegans made their home and started their family on Lafayette Road. They lived in Hamilton for several years moving back to Applewood Drive, Ipswich  in 1968.

During the years of World War II she was employed as a  defense worker at Sylvania in Ipswich. Later in life she was employed as a waitress in the former Ipswich House and Marguery Restaurants in Ipswich.

Mrs. Finnegan was a longtime communicant of St. Stanislaus and Our Lady of Hope Parishes of Ipswich,  a member of the Catholic Women’s Club and the Ipswich Council on Aging. Gladys  was an enthusiastic bingo player. She also enjoyed  cruises, dining out but  most of all her biggest joy was time spent with her family.

She is survived by three daughters, Ann Marie Fessenden and her husband Richard, Diane Graffum and her husband James, all of Ipswich, and Irene Finnegan and her partner Elaine Goodwin  of Salisbury; four grandchildren, Patricia Fessenden,  Steven Fessenden and his wife Christine all of Ipswich, Brenda Grover and her husband David of Amesbury, and Emily Graffum and her fiancé’ Mark Muise  of Gloucester; three great grandchildren, Katelyn and Kyle Fessenden both of Ipswich and Ezekiel Muise of Gloucester; a sister, Alma Caren of Ipswich; sister-in-law Jean Poirier of Ipswich and many nephews and nieces.  She was the mother of the late Robert B. Finnegan formerly of Ipswich and sister of the late Omer Poirier of FL, Albin Poirier and  Alfred Poirier both of Ipswich, Sr. Marie Antoinette Poirier of Marlborough, Pauline Roberts of FL and infant Rose Ellen Poirier formerly of Ipswich.

Her funeral will be held 9 am Monday from the Whittier-Porter Funeral Home, 6 High St., Ipswich followed the celebration of a Funeral Mass of Christian Burial 10 am in Our Lady of Hope Church, Linebrook Rd., Ipswich. Family and friends are respectfully welcomed. Visiting hours Sunday  from 4 to 8 pm. Internment will be in the Cowles Memorial Cemetery, Ipswich. In lieu of flowers  memorial contributions in her name may be made to Ipswich Council on Aging, 25 Green St., Ipswich, MA 01938 and or, Port Rehabilitation  Activities Fund, 113 Low St., Newburyport, MA 01950.