HAVERHILL: Dorothy (Strickland) Sargent Brunelle, 60, died Friday, September 25, 2009 following a courageous two year battle with cancer. She was widowed at a very early age in 1979 when her husband Kenneth Sargent died. She later found love for twenty years with Charles F. Hardacher who died in 2001.
Born in Hartford, CT on April 3, 1949 she was the daughter of Rose (Bryant) Strickland of CT and the late Arthur Strickland. After her husband's passing, Dorothy was left to raise her six young daughters. Dorothy worked at the Stevens Bennett Home in Haverhill for the past nineteen years.
Her grandchildren were a very significant part of her life with many fond memories. She taught her grandchildren to fish and she loved to cook and dance. An avid dart player, she earned many trophies. New Year's Eve was always a special time they celebrated together having their own parties.
In addition to her mother, she is survived by six daughters, Terri and her husband, Michael Noyes, Elizabeth and her husband, Wayne Gordon, Kendra and her husband, Douglas Evans, Mickie-Jo Taylor, Rolina and her husband, Todd Burwell and Sarah Amerena all of Haverhill sixteen grandchildren, Matthew, Stacey and Casey Munroe, Jon and Taylor Baston, Charles and Cori Evans, Desire' and Carlton LaBranche, Trevor and Brayden Burwell, Stephanie and Deean Amerena, Michael Murphy, Jocelyn Martinez, Sophia Willis, one great-grandson and her heart, Zackery Jakob Baston, two brothers, Arthur and Richard Strickland of CT., her three sisters, Gladys Bryant and Mary Adams of CT, and Rose LaJoie of Haverhill, many nieces and nephews and her best friend of thirty-five years, Linda Chisholm. She was also predeceased by her brother, Donald Strickland.
Her funeral service will be held in the Linnehan-Grondin Funeral Home, 129 Kenoza Avenue, Haverhill on Tuesday at 5 p.m. Visiting hours will be held prior to the service from 2 - 5 p.m. Relatives and friends are cordially invited to attend. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made in her memory to the American Cancer Society, 30 Speen St., Framingham, MA 01701 or to the Beacon Hospice, 350 Main St., Haverhill, MA 01830.