Doris L. (Cole) Lavoie, 89, passed away peacefully at the Kaplan Family Hospice House in Danvers on March 15, 2013. She was the beloved wife of the late Arthur J. Lavoie with whom she shared over 54 years of marriage.
Born in Danvers, she was the daughter of Oscar Vernon and Florence (McNeil) Cole. Mrs. Lavoie graduated from Holten High School in Danvers in 1942 where she was a student/athlete; Captain of the "Blue Team" Field Hockey team and an honor roll student. She was active in aerobics well into her 70's and believed in daily exercise throughout her life. She was an avid reader and volunteer, before various health issues curtailed those activities in her later years. She had a playful spirit and sparkling "Irish eyes" which created many happy times for her children/grandchildren and the students with whom she volunteered. She worked in manufacturing and in various retail businesses while raising her family in Danvers.
She stayed in close contact with her four children, her siblings, and her grandchildren and great grandchildren throughout her life, and she, and her loving husband Arthur, did their very best to ensure that their children had better opportunities in life than they had. Her youngest daughter, Judy, cared for her in her home in Beverly for many months of declining health when otherwise she would have been in assisted living or a nursing home. Judy made her last months more comfortable, loving and caring than otherwise would have been possible. Our entire family is indebted to Judy for her extraordinary care during this difficult time.
She is the mother of Janice M. Lavoie of Norwich, VT, A. James Lavoie and his wife Jay Ann of Quechee, VT, Joan Lavoie Martin and her husband Gary Martin of Danvers and Judith A. Lavoie of Beverly. She is the loving grandmother to the late James Jay Lavoie, Alaine A. Lavoie Amaral of Hopkinton, MA, Kelly McGauley Wilsey of FL, Shannon M. McGauley of California, Cory Martin of Danvers, Kim Martin of Danvers, Mark Finnegan of Beverly, and Brett Finnegan of Danvers. She is also survived by several great grandchildren and one great, great grandson. Mrs. Lavoie was the last survivor of seven siblings, who all grew up in Danvers.
Relatives and friends are invited to visiting hours on Monday, March 18, 2013 from 5-8
PM at C.R. Lyons & Sons, Funeral Directors, 28 Elm St., Danvers. Funeral Service are private. In lieu of flowers expressions of sympathy may be made in Doris’s name to Kaplan Family Hospice House, 75 Sylvan St., Danvers, MA 01923 or the Peabody Institute Library c/o the George Peabody Society, 15 Sylvan St., Danvers, MA 01923