Mrs. Eloise J. (Perra) Menard, of Taunton, died Thursday, March 20, 2014 in the Life Care Center of Raynham following a period of failing health. She was the beloved wife of the late Edmond G. Menard. She was born on April 26, 1929 in Taunton, the daughter of the late Henry A. and Cecile (Bourgeois) Perra. Eloise was a lifelong city resident, educated in Taunton at the former St. Jacques School and the former St. Mary’s High School. She discontinued her nursing studies at New England Baptist Hospital to return to Taunton after her mother’s passing, and finally completed the L.P.N. course from the Bristol Plymouth Regional Technical School of Nursing in 1982 at the age of 53. Prior to her retirement she had been employed as an L.P.N. at the former Paul A. Dever State School in Taunton for several years. She was a communicant of St. Jude the Apostle Parish in Taunton. Eloise was for many years involved in the Cursillo movement, both at LaSalette Shrine, where the retreat weekends took place, and at the local monthly gatherings in the Taunton area. Through this movement she also became involved in activities and ministries at the Shrine.
She leaves: 3 daughters: Cecile J. Menard and her wife, Judy Cote of Croydon, N.H., Collette R. Rich and her husband, Bruce of Norton, and Anne C. Menard and her partner, David Azevedo of Berkley; 1 son: Edmond P. Menard of Hanahan, S.C.; 1 brother: Raymond Perra and his wife, Ann of Brattleboro, Vt.; several sisters-in-law: Stephanie Perra of No.Dighton, Rosemarie Ross of No. Naples, Fla., and Virginia Denault and her husband, Leo of Poughkeepsie, N.Y.; 5 grandchildren: Benjamin Emond, Melissa Kinney and her husband, Sean, Christopher Rich, Rebecca Rich and Angela Thomson and her husband, Christopher; 4 great grandchildren: Danielle, Tyler and Alexis Kinney, and Brooklynn Emond, and several nieces and nephews. Eloise was predeceased by 2 brothers, Henry A. Perra, Jr. and Philip R. Perra, and 2 sister-in-law, Lucille Nichols and Rose Perra, and 2 brothers-in-law, Edward Nichols and Norman Ross.
Funeral services will be held from The Riendeau-Mulvey Funeral Home, 467 Bay Street, on Wednesday, March 26 at 9:00 A.M. A Mass of Christian Burial will follow in St. Jude the Apostle Church at 10:00 A.M. Interment will be in St. Joseph Cemetery. Relatives and friends are invited to attend. Visiting Hours will be held on Tuesday, from 5:00 to 8:00 P.M. The family would like to extend its gratitude to the staff of Life Care Center of Raynham for their compassionate care during her stay. Expressions of sympathy in her memory may be made to Beacon Hospice of Fall River, 182 No.Main St., Fall River Ma., 02720.