Edith T. Hughes Reardon, age 99, of Plymouth formerly of Montclair, NJ; passed away on November 7th with family be her side. Wife of the late James J. Reardon, former Montclair Police Chief, loving mother of Nancy Pincelli of Plymouth, cherished grandmother of Timothy Pincelli, Sara Denoncourt and Thaddeus Reardon and treasured by her 7 great grandchildren. She also leaves her sisters Madeline Baker of Boca Raton, FL; Doris McDouall of West Orange, NJ; her daughter-in-law Judi Plimpton and many nieces and nephews. She was predeceased by her son-in-law Dr. Michael Pincelli, her son Dennis Reardon and her sister Mildred Hughes Frank.
Born March 28, 1915 to Sarah (Wood) Hughes and Owen Hughes in Quirigua, Guatemala, Central America, where her father, sent from the U.S., managed the Tehuana Banana Plantation for the United Fruit Company. Edith was given the middle name Tehuana after the plantation. The family returned to the U.S when Edith was 6 years old, settling in Bloomfield, NJ where she received her education. Married, she and her husband resided and raised their family in Montclair, NJ. Widowed, and having lost her sight in 1994, Edith moved to Plymouth to live with her daughter Nancy and her husband. Edith was a lady in the true sense of the word. Gracious, appreciative and positive, a lover of conversation with an incredible memory for details. Adjusting to the new challenge in her life, she turned to prayer, sharing a book she had received as a gift many years before. A book of daily inspirational verses, “God Calling”, became her calling. Passing it on to others who were in a need of comfort in their lives. She would order 4 or more at a time. Edith sent a copy to each of the Worcester Firefighters widows, the family of Travis Roy, President Regan, President Bush and Vice President Cheney, she was a Republican you see! Thank you notes from many, including the Mayor of Worcester, were found among her papers. Her diminished sight did not stop her. Befriended by the sales associates of various shops at Independence Mall, they would accompany her from one location to the next until her errands or, most likely, visits were completed with one last stop at Dans Lottery Stand and a call for Nancy to pick her up. Her day of freedom in the safety of her new found friends completed. The radio became her source of information. She would at times call Paul Parent the Gardener with questions. She loved gardening, once finding out she had just pruned the new buds of next season’s rhododendrons, oops! She frequently spoke of her approaching 100th birthday with enthusiasm. That was not to be, but the birthday gift she gave to all who knew her were her 99 ½ years!
Visiting hours will be held on Friday, November 14th from 5 to 7 PM at the Richard Davis Funeral Home, 373 Court St (Rt 3A), N. Plymouth. The family will be gathering for a funeral Mass on Saturday, November 15th at St. Mary’s Church at 11 AM. A private burial will be held at a later date. In lieu of flowers, donations in her memory may be made to the charity or hospice of one’s choice.