James T. Kennedy

Former Asst. Lowell City Manager, Chief Financial Officer and Auditor;

James T. Kennedy, 76, of Lowell, a well-known and former longtime member of the City Administration, died Tuesday evening March 3, 2020 at Lowell General Hospital.

He was the beloved husband of the late Edna E. (Pelletier) Kennedy who died in 2005 .

Born in Lowell, Massachusetts, April 10, 1943, the son of the late James J. and the late Margaret M. (Shanahan) Kennedy, he grew up in the Acre and attended St. Patrick Grammar School.

Jim went on to graduate from Keith Academy in 1960 and received his Bachelor of Science Degree in Business from Boston College in 1964.

He retired from Public Service as Chief Financial Officer for the City of Lowell in 2007. In a career that spanned over 30 years, Jim served as the Auditor for the City for many years and later as the Assistant City Manager/ Chief Financial Officer as well.

Jim was also the former Chairman of the Lowell Retirement Board.

An Honorary Life Member of the Lowell Lodge of Elks, B.P.O.E. 87, he served as the Exalted Ruler in 1987 and was a longtime Treasurer for the Elks.

A member of the Ancient Order of the Hibernians, Jim was also actively involved with the St. Patrick Parish Irish Cultural Committee which hosts Irish Cultural Week in Lowell every year. He served for many years as the Treasurer of the Committee and also as Treasurer for St. Patrick School Alumni Association and the School Golf Tournament.

Jim enjoyed playing golf with his friends and grandchildren and was a member of Vesper Country Club and a Social Member of Long Meadow Golf Club.

He is survived by two sons James J. Kennedy of Brookline, NH, a retired Nashua Police Officer and Thomas D. Kennedy, a Captain with the Lowell Police Dept. and his wife Leslie of Westford; four grandchildren James J. Kennedy, Jr. and Daniel W. Kennedy both of Brookline, NH, Thomas J. Kennedy and Hannah M. Kennedy both of Westford; a special niece Margaret Childs and her husband Craig of Newburyport; several grandnephews and a grandniece.

He was also grandfather of the late Kathryn A. Kennedy and brother of the late Mary Gail Kennedy.

Friends may call at the O’DONNELL FUNERAL HOME 276 PAWTUCKET ST. at Fletcher from 4 to 8 P.M. Monday. Relatives and friends are invited to attend his Funeral Mass to be celebrated Tuesday morning March 10, 2020 at ST. PATRICK CHURCH in Lowell at 10 o’clock followed by burial in St. Patrick Cemetery. E-condolences/directions at www.odonnellfuneralhome.com. Those wishing may make contributions in his memory to the St. Patrick Parish Irish Cultural Committee, P.O. Box 8621, Lowell, MA 01853. Arrangements by Funeral Director James F. O’Donnell, Jr. (978) 458-8768. 

Paula O. (O’Neill) Abraham

Loving wife, mother, grandmother, sister-in-law, aunt and friend;

Paula O. (O’Neill) Abraham, 75, of Lowell, a retired Lowell school teacher, passed away peacefully surrounded by family and friends on Tuesday afternoon, March 3, 2020 at her home.

She was the beloved wife for over 55 years of Richard J. “Dick” Abraham, who survives her.

Born in Lowell, Massachusetts, July 10, 1944, Paula was the daughter of the late John J. and the late Helen V. (Harrigan) O’Neill. Paula had been a long time communicant of both St. Patrick and the Immaculate Conception Churches of Lowell.

She attended Lowell schools and was a graduate of Lowell High School in the Class of 1962. Later, Paula continued her education at Middlesex Community College and then matriculated to and graduated from Rivier University in Nashua, NH, with a Bachelor of Arts in Education, with a Minor in Special Education.

Prior to her retirement, Paula was a school teacher for the City of Lowell School Department of Special Education at the Bailey International School. Previously she served as a paraprofessional at the Lincoln School.

For several years, Paula was a member of the Board of Trustees of Middlesex Community College.

Paula was very proud of her Irish heritage. She was a former Chairperson for Irish Cultural Week in Lowell, a member of the Ancient Order of Hibernian's Auxiliary and a coordinator for Wider Horizons, where for 20 years, she along with Molly Sheehy served as hosts to college students from the north and south of Ireland. She also served as a volunteer for the Greater Lowell Folk Festival.

Paula was extremely proud to be  a member of “The Girls”, a group of her closest friends! She very much enjoyed her weekends away with “The Girls” whether it be to the Cape or another place where they enjoyed spending time together.

Mostly, Paula enjoyed those times she shared with her family and especially with her grandchildren.

Besides her husband, she is survived by her daughter Lyndabeth Abraham and Timothy Downes of Lowell; her son Richard J. “Rick” Abraham and his wife Sharon (Couilliard) of Lowell; Four grandchildren Kathryn E. Abraham and her companion Nicholas Leary of Lowell, John R. Abraham of Somerville, Thomas R. Abraham and his companion Alexa McGuire of Lowell, and Sarah M. Abraham of Lowell.

Paula is also survived by her brother-in-law John F. Abraham and his wife Mary of Chelmsford, MA; her brother-in-law Robert  W. Abraham of Concord, MA; her brother-in-law Thomas J. Abraham and his wife Glenda of Virginia Beach,VA; her sister-in-law Priscilla “DeeDee” O’Neill of Pelham, NH; as well as several nieces and nephews.

She was also the sister of the late John J. “Jack” O’Neill, Jr.. Paula was also pre-deceased by her sister-in-law Adele and her husband Louis Mansur; by her brother-in-law James and his wife Cecelia (Salem) Abraham; by her sister-in-law Louise and her husband Fredrick Wilkey; by her sister-in-law Kristin (Roymans) Abraham; Paula was also pre-deceased by her niece Deborah (Abraham) Lind; and her nephew John F. Abraham, Jr..

Friends may call at the O’DONNELL FUNERAL HOME 276 PAWTUCKET ST. at Fletcher from 2 to 6 P.M. Sunday, Relatives and friends are invited to attend her Funeral Mass to be celebrated Monday morning at the IMMACULATE CONCEPTION CHURCH at 11 o’clock. Committal Services will be private. E-condolences at www.odonnellfuneralhome.com. Those wishing may make contributions in her memory to The John F. Abraham, Jr. Scholarship Fund. Mailing address: Friends of Lowell High School, P.O. Box 1264, Lowell, MA 01853. Arrangements by Funeral Director James F. O’Donnell, Jr. (978) 458-8768.      

Phyllis M. (Kennedy) McWilliams, R.N.

Beloved mother, grandmother, great grandmother and friend;

Phyllis M. (Kennedy) McWilliams, 94, of Lowell and formerly of Singer Island, FL, passed away Saturday evening February 29, 2020 after a brief illness.

She was the beloved wife for 59 years to the late John J. McWilliams, a longtime Lowell Police Officer who died in 2009.

Born in Lowell, Massachusetts, November 12, 1925, the daughter of the late Joseph and the late Bertha (Clark) Kennedy, she grew up in Pelham, NH. Phyllis graduated from Lowell High School with the Class of 1943 and went on to graduate as a Registered Nurse from the former St. John’s Hospital School of Nursing in 1947.

A member of the United States Nurse Cadet’s Corp during World War II (1944 to 1947), Phyllis often spoke of meeting her husband John in 1947 at a dance at the former Lakeview Ballroom in Dracut.

Prior to her retirement in 1992, Phyllis worked for many years as a School Nurse in the City of Lowell Public Schools and at the Lowell Health Department as a Public Health Nurse. She also worked as a School Nurse at the Greater Lowell Vocational School and the Lowell General Detoxification Center.

In her early career she was a Private Duty Nurse at the former St. John’s Hospital (nka Lowell General – Saints Campus) and at Lowell General Hospital. Phyllis was a longtime member of St. John’s Nurses Alumnae Association.

Phyllis always had an amazing amount of energy and will be remembered for her ability to juggle a family of seven children while working tirelessly as a nurse and homemaker. By her loving example, she instilled in her children her many character traits of working hard, saving hard and getting things done.

She treasured the time she spent with her family – especially her beloved grandchildren and great grandchildren at the many birthday parties, cookouts and holiday gatherings. Phyllis will be most remembered for her nurturing, kind and caring ways and her love of family and friends.

Phyllis is survived by her six children Marlene A. Browne of Singer Island, FL, John McWilliams, Jr. and his wife Carol Kelly of Lowell, Gary McWilliams and his wife Lenora of Houston, TX, Brian McWilliams and his wife Marjorie of Kingston, MA, Alan McWilliams and his wife Paula of Saratoga Springs, NY and Robert McWilliams and his wife Deborah of Wilbraham, MA; her 14 cherished grandchildren Erin Spencer, Kristen Chan, David Browne, and the McWilliam’s including Ian, Tyler, Julia, Jane, Tara, Ana, Emily, Gary, Stephen, Mai and Mya; six great grandchildren Simone, Colin, Declan, Leo, Savannah and Claire.

She was also the mother of the late David G. McWilliams and the sister of the late Dorothy Litchfield, Warren, Roger, Stuart and Raymond Kennedy.

Friend may call at the O’DONNELL FUNERAL HOME 276 PAWTUCKET ST. at Fletcher from 4 to 7 P.M. Wednesday March 4, 2020. Relatives and friends are invited to attend her Funeral Mass to be celebrated Thursday morning at HOLY FAMILY PARISH – ST. MARIES 75 Chamberlain St. in Lowell at 10 o’clock followed by her burial in St. Patrick Cemetery. E-condolences/directions at www.odonnellfuneralhome.com. Arrangements by Funeral Director James F. O’Donnell, Jr. (978) 458-8768.  

Kathleen Durham

Beloved mother, grandmother, great and great-great grandmother and friend;

Kathleen Durham, 99, of Lowell passed away on Thursday morning February 20, 2020 at Belvidere Healthcare surrounded by her loving family.

Born in Macon, Georgia, June 5, 1920, a daughter of the late Sidel and the late Myra (Williams) Durham, she was raised in North Carolina.

After moving up to Lowell, she was self-employed as a maid for many years.

She is survived by four daughters Patsy Choate, Dorothy Hardin, Edon Hartford and Germaine Stokes all of Lowell, 35 grandchildren, many great grandchildren. And a very dear and special friend Nick Duclos.

She was also the mother of mother of the late Lucille Choate, the late Joseph Durham, the late Carol Durham and the late Harold Durham.

Relatives and friends are invited to her visitation at the New England Pentecostal Ministries Church, 955 Bridge St., Pelham, NH, on Thursday February 27, 2020 from 5:00 to 6:00 P.M. followed by her Funeral Service at the church from 6:00 to 7:30 P.M. Committal Services will be private The family will be accepting flowers in her honor at the Church. Arrangements by Funeral Director James F. O’Donnell, Jr. (978) 458-8768.