TEWKSBURY: Edna L. “Gram” (Ferrand) French, age 87, a resident of Tewksbury for 59 years, died Sunday, August 20, 2006 at Saints Memorial Medical Center in Lowell.
She was the wife of 47 years to Allyn M. French, who died September 24, 1990.
Born in Greencastle, Indiana on April 15, 1919, she was the daughter of the late Roy F. and Florence (Masten) Ferrand.
Mrs. French was raised in Greencastle and Brick Chapel, Indiana.
She attended Greencastle schools and graduated from Greencastle High School in 1937.
Following her marriage in 1943, she and her husband moved to Lowell, where they lived until moving to North Tewksbury in June of 1947.
She was a member of the First Baptist Church of Tewksbury, and previously served as a teacher in the Sunday school program.
Known by many local residents as the “Cake Lady”, she provided numerous couples with their center piece wedding cakes. In addition to her many baking talents, she was also known for her abilities in fashioning custom wedding gowns and worked as a wedding gown seamstress for the former Elegant Bridal Shops in Lowell and Lawrence.
Mrs. French previously worked providing food and refreshments at the former Wamesit Drive In Movie Theater in Tewksbury. In later years, she worked in her family’s restaurant businesses including the Triangle Restaurant formerly of Groveland, and French’s Subs and Seafood of Tewksbury, and formerly of Derry, NH.
She enjoyed many activities including tending to her vegetable garden, refinishing antique furniture, vacationing with her family at the Bay of Fundy and spending time with her grandchildren and great grandchildren.
She is survived by one daughter; Pris A. Farley and her husband David of Wellington, KS; two sons; Phillip L. French and his wife Kathleen (Murphy) of Tewksbury and Randal J. French and his wife Kelly (Kerrigan) of Derry, NH; twelve grandchildren; Danelle Farley, David French and his wife Janet, Daniel French, Brian French and his wife Kristen, Mike Farley, Phillip Farley and his wife DeAnna, Aimee Golen and her husband Chad, Joshua French and his wife Megan, Christina Benson and her husband Clint, Sarah, Erin and Matthew French; fourteen great grandchildren; Sharmin, Mary, Kirsten, Drake, and Nicholas Farley, Sabrina and Myleigh Kingsley, Kathryn Benson, Brennan, Jack, Allyn, Graeme, Vanessa and Anthony French; two sisters-in-law; Patricia (French) Woodman of Chelmsford and Celia French of Hampton, NH; one brother-in-law; Jerry French and his wife Jeanne of Ft. Myers, FL; her longtime friend; Debbie Johnson of Springfield, MA; also many nieces, nephews, grandnieces and grandnephews.
Mrs. French was the sister of the late John R. and Hubert R. Ferrand, Leona M. (Ferrand) Tuttle, Marion Ferrand and Margery (Ferrand) Zaring.
Calling hours Wednesday, August 23rd, from 3-8 p.m. at the Farmer & Dee Funeral Home, 16 Lee St., Tewksbury. Funeral service Thursday, August 24th at 10 a.m., at the First Baptist Church, 1500 Andover St., Rte. 133, Tewksbury. Interment at Lowell Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions to Tewksbury C.A.R.E.S., P.O. Box 511, Tewksbury, MA 01876 are requested.