GLOUCESTER: Priscilla Gladys (Doucette) Sawyer, 80, former owner of The Old Mill in Riverdale, died Saturday, February 19, 2011 in the Seacoast Nursing & Rehabilitation Center following an extended illness. She was the wife of the late William Franklin Sawyer. They had been married for fifty years before he passed in 2001.
Born in Essex on November 8, 1930, she was the daughter of the late Ralph and Bertha (Stever) Sawyer. She attended Gloucester High School and graduated in 1948.
Following graduation she began working at the former W.T. Grant’s Department Store until the early 1960’s. She later owned and operated The Old Mill Store in Riverdale until 1992. She and William (known to many as Rusty), ran an ice cream parlor, game room for the local teens, and a country store for over 37 years.
Priscilla was also an artist and very creative; her medium being oil paints. She loved to paint and write poetry and often told the grandchildren wonderful made up stories as they were growing up. She was involved in the local community for many years, often having a float in the local Horribles Parade. Many will remember her always scooping ice cream at The Old Mill. Her family will remember her as a hardworking person, who was fun to be around and a wonderful mom.
She is survived by three daughters and sons-in-law, Christine and Kevin Burns of Indiana, Linda and Steven Bellissimo of New York, Gina and Michael Reopell of MA; two sons and daughters-in-law, William and Terry (Borge) Sawyer of MA and Scott and Gayle (Mason) Sawyer of MA; ten grandchildren; five great-grandchildren; a brother, Ralph Doucette, sister-in-law, Betty Sawyer; a brother-in-law, Willis Fiedler; and many nieces and nephews. In addition to her husband, she was also predeceased by her granddaughter, Elizabeth Sawyer, grandson, Shannon Burns, sister, Janice Doucette and brother, Frank Doucette.
Her funeral service will be held on Saturday morning in the Beechbrook Cemetery at 11 a.m. Visiting hours will be held on Thursday evening in the Pike-Grondin Funeral Home, 61 Middle Street, Gloucester from 4 – 7 p.m. Relatives and friends are cordially invited to attend. Expressions of sympathy may be made in her memory to the Hospice of the North Shore, 75 Sylvan St., Suite B-102, Danvers, MA 01923.