NATICK — Mildred Felicita (Iskierski) Fader, age 96, died from complications of pneumonia at Leonard Morse Hospital on June 1, 2014.
A veteran of World War II, “Millie” proudly served in the U.S. Navy as a Nurse Lieutenant (jg) from September, 1943 to March, 1946. Her active-service overseas deployments included tours of duty on Guam and Saipan in the Mariana Islands, where she treated injured U.S. service men and also volunteered to treat wounded Japanese prisoners of war. She was an active member of the Natick VFW Post 1274, where she served as Surgeon General for many years.
She earned her R.N. degree from Milford Hospital in 1939, and completed further post-graduate studies in obstetrics at Boston Lying-In Hospital in 1941, and at Boston University during the 1950s.
She had a long, multi-faceted career covering a gamut of nursing specialties, including trauma, surgical, OB/GYN, neonatal, and psychiatric nursing. At her retirement in 1977, she was Supervisor of Nursing at Medfield State Hospital, Medfield, Massachusetts. Over her long career, she had worked at Woonsocket (R.I.) Hospital; Boston Lying-In, where she held the post of Supervisor of Nurseries & Pediatrics; Newton-Wellesley Hospital, Newton; and Leonard Morse Hospital, Natick.
She had a lifelong passion for the Opera, and was a member in good standing of the Metropolitan Opera Guild. She especially will be remembered for her inspiring love and compassion for animals, wildlife, and the natural world in general, and for her generosity in supporting organizations and efforts in their behalf.
Fiercely loyal and loving wife of the late Horace Evans Fader, she was a caring and devoted mother who went to great lengths to give her children every opportunity to explore and pursue their respective artistic, intellectual, and athletic interests. She will be sorely missed.
She is survived by her daughter Jean Fader Drew and her husband Bruce Warren Drew of Hudson, MA; daughter Judith Ann Fader and her partner Janet M. Pytlak of Tewksbury, MA; son John Evans Fader of Framingham, MA; and many loving nieces and nephews.
Relatives and friends are invited to attend her funeral on Monday, June 9 at 9:00 A.M. from the John Everett and Sons Funeral Home, 4 Park Street at Natick Common followed by a Mass of Christian Burial in Saint Patrick’s Church at 10:00 A.M. Visiting hours are Sunday, June 8, from 3:00 to 7:00 P.M.
In lieu of flowers, expressions of sympathy may be made in her name to the Tufts Center for Conservation Medicine by sending donations to "Trustees of Tufts," Office of Advancement, Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University, 200 Westboro Road, N. Grafton, MA 01536.