Bridgewater- Mary Mildred (Eagan) Bicknell, 98, died Saturday, Aug. 26, 2006, at South Shore Hospital, S. Weymouth after a brief illness. She was the wife of the late William K. Bicknell.
She leaves her two daughters, Mary Patricia Lyons and her husband John of Natick; Cecilia Chapman and her husband Fred of East Bridgewater; a son Dennis of Toledo, Ohio. She was preceded in death by her son Kenneth and his wife Sandra. She leaves seven grandchildren: Brenda Bicknell of Bridgewater; Michael Bicknell and his wife Jennifer of Londonderry, NH; Brian Bicknell and his wife Danielle of Gloucester; Jennifer LeBlanc and her husband Steven of Middleboro; Kathleen Chapman of East Bridgewater; Marie Principe and her husband Marc of Berkley; Nancy Chapman of Weymouth; one great grandson Ethan Bicknell of Londonderry, NH. She was the mother-in-law of Maureen Bicknell of Sagamore.
"Mil" Bicknell was the second of four daughters born to John J. and Gertrude (Robinson) Eagan. She was born in Manhatten on 11-22-07 and grew up in Scarsdale, NY. She graduated from Scarsdale High School, '25 and Cornell University, '30. She earned a Masters degree from Columbia University, '34. Prior to her marriage to William, she worked as a nutritionist at Rosemont College, Rosemont, PA.
Mrs. Bicknell was a resident of Bridgewater since 1943. She was the proprietor of 'Mrs. Bicknell's Brownies' -a commercial bakery from which she delivered homemade brownies to lunch counters and coffee shops in Southeastern MA.
She was certified to teach Chemistry and Home Economics. She taught at Bridgewater-Raynham Regional High School from 1960 until her retirement 1971. She was a commuicant of St. Thomas Aquinas Parish and for a number of years she served as director of the CCD (religious education) program. Mrs. Bicknell served as treasurer of the Bridgewater Visiting Nurses Association.
She was a busy woman with many interests. As a wonderful cook, she made the family Holidays at her home very special celebrations. An expert seamstress, she sewed daily. An active member of Mrs. Turner's sewing group, she created quilts, curtains, table clothes and wall hangings. Always possessing an acute mind, she was a life long learner. She completed the crossword puzzles daily without a dictionary. She read voluminously throughout her life. In recent years, she listen to audio books daily.
However, her major concern was family. She was a devoted wife, a loving mother, a caring grandmother and great-grandmother and a thoughtful aunt. She was also a wonderful colleague, friend and neighbor. Mildred was the sister of the late Margaret Duif, Helen Baldwin and Gertrude Lewis.
Funeral from the Prophett Funeral home, 98 Bedford St. (Rte. 18), Bridgewater, Wednesday at 8:15 am. Followed by a funeral Mass in St. Thomas Aquinas Church at 9 am. Visiting hours Tuesday 4-8 pm. Burial will be in St. Thomas Aquinas Cemetery.
Donations may be made to the Alzheimer’s Assoc., 36 Cameron Ave., Cambridge, MA 02140, or the National Parkinson Foundation, Inc., Cape Cod Chapter, PO Box 584, East Dennis, MA 02641.