Arthur Ducharme, 77, of New Bedford died Saturday September 20, 2008 at home surrounded by his family. He was the beloved husband of Mary J. (Healy) Ducharme; they had been married for 30 years.
Born in Acushnet, the son of the late Albert J. and Mathilda Rose (Gamache) Ducharme, he lived in New Bedford for most of his life.
Mr. Ducharme worked for many years for Hypro-Tool Company, a division of Continental Screw Company in New Bedford, Sossner Tool in Melville, New York, and Cleveland Twist Drill in Mansfield. For the past 19 years he worked for the New Bedford Housing Authority as a project representative.
He was a 1966 graduate of Southeastern Massachusetts Technological Institute, now UMass Dartmouth, with a degree in mechanical engineering.
He served in the U.S. Army in Korea as a Communciations Sergeant with the 17th Infantry, 7th Division and participated in the Battles of Pork Chop Hill and Baldi Valley. He received numerous awards, including the Purple Heart and the Korean Service Medal with two bronze service stars.
His favorite times were with family. He loved playing cards, traveling, theater, movies, and singing. He will be greatly missed for his kind and gentle ways, his great smile, and his love of people.
He is survived by his wife; his sisters-in-law, Ann M. Cafferty and her husband George, Dorothy L. Tweedie, and Kathleen Greely and her husband Wallace, all of New Bedford, Martha Monti and her husband Anthony of Holbrook, Marsha Rego and her husband Jerry of Bridgewater; his brother-in-law, Thomas F. Healy IV and his wife Susan of Kingston; 24 nieces and nephews; and many great-nieces and great-nephews.
He was the brother of the late Rollande Fredette, Albert and Emile Ducharme, and brother-in-law of the late Dennis Tweedie.
His Funeral Mass will be celebrated on Wednesday at 10 AM at St. Bernard's Church, Assonet. Visiting hours will be on Tuesday from 4-8 PM at the Saunders-Dwyer Home for Funerals, 495 Park St., New Bedford. In lieu of flowers, remembrances may be made to St. Bernard's Parish, P.O. Box 370, Assonet, MA 02702. For directions and guestbook, please visit www.saundersdwyer.com.
DIRECTIONS TO ST. BERNARD'S CHURCH
30 South Main Street
Assonet, MA 02702
Take Rt. 24 to Exit 9 (Rt. 79, Freetown/Middleboro)
Follow Rt. 79 (So. Main Street) for 0.5 mile north
St. Bernard Church is the first church on your left
The next church on your left is the United Church of Assonet