Northborough— Louise Ann Nilson Divoll, 83, of Northborough and formerly of Westborough, MA, and Branford, CT, died peacefully surrounded by her loving family on March 19, after a courageous battle with cancer.
She was the beloved mother of a son and two daughters: Stephan Divoll and his wife Michele of North Attleboro, Lisa Divoll Steinka and her husband Brad of Franklin, and Martha Louise McCown and her husband Bob of Littleton. Louise also leaves four grandsons: Matthew and Andrew Divoll, Jeffrey Steinka, and Will Dritt-McCown, as well as a close cousin Kristina Nilson Allen of Westborough. Her husband, Robert Divoll, who proposed to Louise in Worcester on the day of the June 9, 1953 tornado, predeceased her in 1981.
Born in Worcester of Swedish parents, Everett and Marguerita (Soderkvist) Nilson, Louise was educated in Worcester public schools. She trained as a nurse at Worcester City Hospital, where she worked as an operating room nurse until her marriage. A child of the Great Depression, Louise elevated thrift to an art. She considered bargain hunting high adventure and delighted in the treasures she discovered at garage sales and thrift stores. She was an accomplished cook and passed on her expertise in Scandinavian cooking and homemaking to her family.
Louise also was an avid reader and prided herself in lifelong learning through devouring books on history, biography, current events and health care until her last days. She enjoyed playing bridge and golf and was a former member of the Worcester Country Club. Among her most cherished memories were sailing along the New England coast and skiing in Vermont with her husband and children. A woman of great independence and fortitude, Louise maintained her own garden, mowed her lawn and snow-blowed her driveway into her 80s. Her wisdom, loyalty and candor will be sadly missed.
Memorial services will be private. Those who would like to remember Louise may send contributions in her memory to The Salvation Army, Worcester Citadel, 640 Main St., Worcester, MA 01608.
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