McDonough Funeral Home

04/04/2026

Arline (Laderoute) Rayball, 86, a lifelong Lowell resident, passed away on Tuesday, March 31, at Lowell General Hospital after a brief illness with her family by her side. She was the widow of the late Bernard P. Rayball who passed away in 2000 after over 30 years of marriage.

Arline was born in Lowell on February 12, 1940, a daughter of the late Joseph Laderoute and the late Marie (Arsenault) Laderoute, she was educated in the Lowell area. She was born to be a mother and was just that to countless foster children over the years. Later in life she also worked as a caregiver.

She enjoyed ham radio and was known by her handles: “38 Special” and “Lady Spitfire”. She loved gardening, shopping and gaming, especially solitaire. She always appreciated a good Elvis impersonator and was a great cook. True to her ham handle, she was a spitfire, through and through, stubborn, fearless and strong, she was also a gentle and caring mother.

She is survived by her 6 children, Diane DeRoche and her husband, William, of Dracut, Donna Sicard of Dracut, Sandra Hamel of Rowley and her significant other, Frederick Wilkey of Lowell, James Rayball and his wife, Julia, of Chelmsford, Sara Cleary-Rayball and her significant other, Justin Wojcik, of Pelham, NH, and Anthony Michael Rayball of Lowell, her 10 grandchildren, Christine, Jennifer, Paul, Michael, Michelle, Shane, Derek, Christina, Connor and Maya with her 11th, Madison, on the way. She is also survived by her 11 great grandchildren, Kaitlyn, Danielle, Eve, Delilah, Jose, Paul Jr., Benjamin, Franklin, Cooper, Holden, and Emerson and her great great granddaughter, Amelina Rose, her brothers, Richard Laderoute of Virginia, and Edgar Laderoute of North Attleboro and last but not least, her beloved cat, Smokey.

In addition to her husband, she was predeceased by her sister, the late Edna Laderoute and her brothers, the late Robert Laderoute and the late Paul Laderoute,

All are welcome to attend her funeral service on Wednesday, April 8 at 11 a.m. at St. Joseph Cemetery, with burial to follow. In lieu of flowers, the family asks you to please consider a memorial donation in her name to a Foster Care charity of ones own choosing. To send the family your condolences please find us on Facebook or use www.McDonoughFuneralHome.com at any time.

04/02/2026

Nelson P. Gonzalez

Nelson P. Gonzalez, 66, passed away on Sunday, March 29, 2026, at Tufts Medical Center, following recent health complications.

Born on October 18, 1960, in Santurce, Puerto Rico, he was the beloved son of the late Maximino Gonzalez and the late Celeste Figueroa Gonzalez. At a young age, Nelson moved with his family to Lowell, where he was raised and educated graduating from Greater Lowell Technical High School.

Nelson was a man who found his greatest joy in the simple moments of life, especially those spent with his family and friends. He loved fishing, particularly the times he spent taking his children out when they were younger. Known for his warm and welcoming nature, Nelson also enjoyed bringing people together, and his pig roasts became a tradition that family and friends looked forward to.

He worked for many years in property maintenance at the North Building in Chelmsford, where he was known for his dedication and strong work ethic.

Nelson is survived by his loving children, Alexis Gonzalez of Orlando, Florida, Nelson Gonzalez, Jr. of Worcester, Ricardo Serrano of Puerto Rico, and Alexis Gonzalez of Tyngsboro. He also leaves his sisters, Elizabeth Gonzalez, Sara Lopez, and Julie [last name] and Mercedes Sanchez, along with many extended family members and dear friends, and his companion Debbie Parks.

He was the devoted father of the late Pedro Gonzalez, and former companion of the late Carmen Serrano, Colleen Deprenda.

You are welcome to attend his visitation on Monday, April 6, 2026 from 11am until 12 Noon at the McDonough Funeral Home, 14 Highland Street, Lowell, MA 01852. His funeral service will take place in the funeral home at 12 Noon. His burial will take place at the Westlawn Cemetery at a later date. www.mcdonoughfuneralhome.com

04/02/2026

Joan Marilyn Bowers

Joan Marilyn Bowers, 93, of Lowell, Massachusetts, passed away peacefully in her sleep on April 1, 2026, surrounded by her family. She was born on January 27, 1933, daughter of the late Richard and Anna (Place) Foley. She was predeceased by her loving husband, John J. (Jack) Bowers, Jr., Esq.

Joan was a lifetime resident of Lowell. At the age of 4, she joined the St. Rita’s Cadets Drum and Bugle Corps and became the youngest twirling Drum Major in the United States. Joan was a graduate of Lowell High School. She was a communicant and volunteer at St. Margaret’s Church, a member and volunteer at the Middlesex Women’s Club and the Chelmsford Senior Center, and a supporter of the Highland Little League. She enjoyed socializing with the Red Hat Society. She loved hosting holiday gatherings, especially around St Patrick’s Day. And she instilled in her children the importance of family.

In addition to her husband, Jack Bowers, Joan was predeceased by her son, James M. Bowers, Esq., two brothers, Richard Foley and Paul Foley, and a sister, (Ann) Patricia Kiernan.

Joan is survived by four children and four daughters-in-law, John J. Bowers, III and his wife Sandra of Framingham, MA, Justin M. Bowers and his wife Margaret of Pawtucket, RI, MaryAnne (Bowers) Maines of Wellesley, MA, Mark A. Bowers, Esq. and his wife Beth of Westford, MA, and Rachel Hickey Bowers, Esq. of West Newbury, MA; her sister, Sheila McLaughlin of Windham, NH, 11 grandchildren, 2 great-grandchildren, and numerous nieces and nephews.

Visiting hours will be held on Monday, April 6, from 4:00 to 7:00 p.m. at the McDonough Funeral Home, 14 Highland Street, Lowell. Her funeral Mass will be offered on Tuesday, April 7, at 10 a.m. at St. Margaret of Scotland Church, 374 Stevens Street, Lowell, MA. Internment will follow in St. Mary Cemetery, Tewksbury. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Joan’s memory to Disabled American Veterans (DAV) (dav.org).

03/30/2026

03/30/2026

https://www.instagram.com/reel/DWhIsUgIwSd/?igsh=NnFvNjF3M2hlcjlh

03/26/2026

Why do you have a Red Sox chair?

03/26/2026

Maria Conceicao (Alves) Faria - Funeral Mass @ St Anthony Parish Lowell

03/26/2026

Joao Aurelio Aguiar, 86, a longtime Lowell resident, passed away after a brief illness at Lahey Clinic in Burlington. He was the widower of the late Fatima (Silva) Aguiar who passed away in 2024 after 56 years of marriage.

He was born on December 7, 1939, in Terceira, Acores, Portugal, a son of the late Joao Borges Aguiar and the late Margarida Toste (Nunes) Aguiar, he was raised and educated in the Acores and served in the Portuguese military. He came to the United States in 1973, settling in Lowell where he made his lifelong home.

Upon arriving in Lowell, he got right to work as the foreman in the shipping department of Prince Macaroni until it closed in 1997. He worked for 5 years at Joan Fabrics as a machine operator until his retirement in 2002.

Joao was a communicant of St. Anthony Church in Lowell and was a member of the Portuguese American Civic League, the Portuguese American Center, the Holy Ghost Society, and Irmandade da Santissima Trindade.

He loved his family dearly, especially his children and grandchildren. He also loved to visit the casino and to play cards. He was a big soccer fan and always supported his team, S.L. Benfica. He will be remembered as a friend and mentor to a close circle of friends and last but not least, he cherished his beloved grand dog, Toby.

He is survived by his 3 daughters, Margarida Silva and her husband, Norbert, of Lowell, Carmen Aguiar of Lowell, and Julie Picanco and her husband, Alvin, of Nashua, NH, and his grandchildren, Krystal Silva of Lowell, Eric Picanco of Nashua, and Isabel Picanco of Nashua.

He is also survived by his four siblings, Mateus Aguiar and his wife, Lisilda of Terceira, Maria Leonilde Aguiar of Derry, NH, Margarida Ines Pontes and her husband, Antonio of Canada, Nazare (Aguiar) Mendes and her husband, Francisco of Terceira; brother-in-law of Conceicao Silva of Terceira, Dorotheia Rosa and her husband, Jose of Canada, Ines Evangelista and her husband, Joao of Brazil, Francisco Silva and his wife, Neusa of Brazil, Manuel Silva and his wife, Maria of Terceira, Joao Silva and his wife, Lurdes of Canada, Mateus Silva and his wife, Fernanda of Terceira; and many nieces and nephews.

In addition to his parents, he was welcomed into heaven by his granddaughter the late Jessica Torres; his brother the late Luis Aguiar and his wife the late Nelia Aguiar; his brother-in-law the late Joao Aguiar; and his brother-in-law of the late Jose Silva.

On Saturday, March 28, 2026, all are welcome to attend his calling hours from 8-10 a.m. at McDonough Funeral Home, 14 Highland Street, Lowell 978-458-6816.

His funeral mass will be offered at 11 a.m. at St. Anthony Church in Lowell, followed by burial at St. Patrick Cemetery.

03/25/2026

William Francis (Bill) Fay, Age 90, of Billerica MA, passed away after brief illness on Sunday, March 22, 2026. He was the loving and devoted husband of Jeanette L (Rackliffe) Fay, with whom he shared over 50 years of marriage.

Bill was the son of the late Frank Fay and Margaret (O’Connor) Fay. He was born and raised in Brooklyn Heights, New York, where he attended the area of schools. He was an avid Brooklyn Dodgers fan as a young child and told us stories of waiting outside of Ebbets Field to meet some of the legends, like Jackie Robinson, as they left the stadium.

After graduating from Brooklyn Preparatory School in 1953, Bill enlisted in the military where he served in the US Marines. He served for more than 8 years in the reserves where he retired as a Gunnery Sargent. After being honorably discharged from the Marines, Bill began working for the Bell Telephone Companies in New York and then transferred to New England Telephone in the early 1960s where he spent over 40 years working in various capacities, and then retired in 1992 as a respected sales manager at NYNEX, now called Verizon. Shortly after retiring from the phone company, Bill was offered an opportunity to work as a consultant for Verizon in Jakarta, Indonesia, where he used his life-long work experience to assist in the management of installing a fiber optic telecommunications/cable network for 3 years. Jeanette joined Bill on this adventure. Together they used this as an opportunity to embark on an adventure across the world. They had the opportunity to travel all over the South Pacific and enjoyed seeing the many different cultures and sites in places, such as Bali, Indonesia, and many other sites throughout Australia and New Zealand. They made lifelong friends everywhere they went.

When Bill was not working, he enjoyed being a member of the Chelmsford Colonial Minuteman during the bicentennial celebration years of 1970's & 80s, where he was elected Captain. He also serviced as the President of the Newfound Lake Association and was elected multiple terms as president of Stage Crossing Retirement Community of Litchfield, where he resided for over 14 years before moving to Brightview Concord Senior Living of Billerica, MA. He enjoyed spending time boating and fishing on Newfound Lake in Bristol, NH and devoting time exploring the outdoors. Bill was known to all as the ultimate handyman and could fix absolutely anything.

His survivors include his children, Paula Jenkins and her life partner, Patrick, O’Donoghue of Washington, NH, Carrie Fisher and her husband Richard of Cave Creek, AZ, William Fay, JR of AZ, Mark W Smiley and his wife Elizabeth of Shrewsbury, MA, Susan Denisevich and her husband Scott of Tyngsboro, MA . He was a devoted Grandfather to his grandchildren, Jaclyn, Lindsay, Andrew, Allison, Catherine, Grace, Hailey, Alexander, Hannah, Bradford, Kathleen and Alexandra and his great grandchildren, Thatcher, Annika, Ryder, Violette, and Charles.

At his request, the services will be private for his immediate family. Donations may be made in his memory to Brightview Senior Living, 199 Concord Road, Billerica MA 01821.

03/24/2026

Maria Conceicao (Alves) Faria, 85 of Lowell, passed away after a brief illness on Saturday, March 21, 2026 with her loving family by her side. She was the beloved widow of the late Jose Antonio Faria, who passed away in 2021 after 57 years of marriage.

Born on September 6, 1940 in Ribeira Grande, Sao Miguel, Azores, Portugal, a daughter of the late Jose and Maria Estrela (Da Silva) Alves, she was raised in Sao Miguel until 1976 when she came to the United States settling in Lowell, where she made her home.

Upon settling in Lowell she worked at local shoe shops including Grace Shoe, before working as an assembly worker at Merrimack Magnetics in Lowell. She was a communicant of St. Anthony Church and the Trindade.

She loved sewing and crocheting, as well as baking and cooking. She was also strong-willed, a quality that defined her character and strength throughout her life.

Maria is survived by her son, Filomeno Faria of Lowell; her daughters, Cidalia Faria of Lowell, Olga Porter and her husband, Gordon Jr., of Lowell, and Owey Pereira and her husband, Antonio, of Lowell; her eight grandchildren, Ryan Faria and his wife, Kathryn, Kimberly Champoux and her husband, Jonathan, Deric Faria, Jordan Porter, Linda Faria, Cameron Pereira, Austin Porter, and Nicolas Pereira; and her four great grandchildren, Jayden and Addisyn Murchie, Jackson Faria, and Callahan Champoux.

She is also survived by her siblings, Olga Sousa of Lowell, Delfina Faria of Lowell, and Jose Alves of Sao Miguel, Azores; as well as many nieces, nephews, and other family.

In addition to her husband and parents she was predeceased by her siblings, the late Alfredo Alves and Valdemira Moniz.

In lieu of flowers, donations in her memory may be made to: Alzheimer's Association of Massachusetts/New Hampshire: https://www.alz.org/manh

On Thursday, March 26, 2026 all are welcome to attend her calling hours from 8-10 a.m. at McDonough Funeral Home, 14 Highland Street, Lowell 978-458-6816.

Her funeral mass will be offered at 11 a.m. at St. Anthony Church in Lowell, followed by burial at St. Joseph Cemetery in Chelmsford.

03/18/2026

Quelminda V. Mendonsa, 88, passed away peacefully on Tuesday, March 10, 2026, at Lowell General Hospital, surrounded by her loving family. She was the beloved widow of Manuel Mendonsa, who passed away in 1989.

Quelminda was born on February 5, 1938, in Graciosa in the Azores, Portugal, the daughter of the late Albertino Veiga and Rosa (Santos) Veiga. She was raised and educated in Graciosa, where she married and began raising her family. In May of 1966, she immigrated to the United States with her husband and their four children, settling in Lowell where she would build a life centered on family, faith, and community.

She dedicated more than 25 years to the Lowell Public Schools as a bilingual paraprofessional, spending much of her career at the Moody School. In that role, she helped countless students and families navigate language barriers and feel welcomed in their new community. Her kindness, patience, and gentle encouragement made a lasting impact on many young lives.

Quelminda had a deep love for cooking and baking, and nothing made her happier than sharing her food with family and friends. She also enjoyed gardening and took great pride in caring for her yard. Her Catholic faith was a central part of her life, and she was very active in her church, serving for many years as a lay Eucharistic minister.

To her grandchildren and great-grandchildren she was lovingly known as “Vovó,” a name that many others affectionately adopted as well. It was a role she embraced wholeheartedly, offering warmth, guidance, and unconditional love to all who knew her.

She is survived by her four children: Joseph M. Mendonça and his wife Lorna T. Mendonça of Lowell; Maria Mendonsa of Lowell and Qatar; Davide Mendonça and his wife Kathleen of Connecticut; and Robert Mendonsa Sr. and his significant other Theresa Godfrey of Tewksbury.

She also leaves her beloved grandchildren: Lena M. Ferreira (and husband Adam), Jeremy A. Mendonça (and wife Lily), Taylor M. Mendonça, Adam J. Mendonça, Sami Al Sadi, Davide M. Mendonça, Michael J. Mendonça, Kayla M. Mendonça, Robert Mendonsa Jr., and Matthew P. Brems; as well as her cherished great-grandchildren Marc J. Ferreira, Carina M. Ferreira, Tyler D. Ferreira, William M. Mendonça, and Carter J. Eyssi.

Quelminda is also survived by her sister Leontina Silva of Tewksbury; her brother Manuel Veiga and his wife Manuela of Northwood, New Hampshire; her nephews Steve Silva and Jonathan Veiga; her great-nephews Harrison, Luke, and Declan Silva; her cousin and dear friend Mary Fatima Medeiros of Lowell; along with many other cousins and extended family members.

She was the devoted mother of the late Albertino Mendonça, who passed away in 2024, and the sister-in-law of the late Albert Silva.

You are welcome to attend her calling hours on Tuesday, March 24, 2026 from 4pm until 7pm at the McDonough Funeral Home, 14 Highland Street, Lowell, MA 01852.

Her funeral will begin at the funeral home on Wednesday, March 25, 2026 at 9am, her funeral Mass will take place at 10am in Saint Anthony's Church, 893 Central Street, Lowell, MA 01852. Burial in Saint Mary Cemetery, Tewksbury.

03/18/2026

Leonard H. Spinney, Jr., 65, a lifelong Lowell resident, passed away unexpectedly but peacefully at home on Saturday, March 14. He was the widower of the late Cynthia (La Duke) Spinney who passed away in 2016.

Lenny was born on November 19, 1960 in Lowell, a son of the late Diane M. (Houston) Perry and Leonard H. Spinney, Sr. he was raised and educated in Lowell.

He worked for over 45 years as a fiberglass fabricator with Duro Fiber in Hudson, NH. Earlier in his life he worked as a baker at the Middle East Bakery and Prices Bakery. He loved music, especially rock n’ roll and he enjoyed fishing. Spending time at the beach, especially Seabrook, was a favorite pastime of his. Whether it be sleeping on the beach or enjoying some seafood, the beach was his second home.

He had a wonderful sense of humor and could make anyone and everyone laugh. He will be sorely missed by all who knew and loved him.

Besides his father, Leonard, of Lowell, he is survived by his daughter, Sheridan Spinney and her husband, Christopher Kordas, of Lowell, his son, Leonard H. Spinney, III, of Lowell, his grandchildren, Pyper and Savanna. His sisters Joanne Spinney of Lowell and Melissa Quinones of Lowell, and many nieces and nephews, aunts, uncles, cousins and friends.

All are welcome to attend his visitation which will be held from 3 p.m. until 6 p.m. on Sunday, March 22 at the McDonough Funeral Home, 14 Highland Street, Lowell, MA. Condolences may be shared with the family via Facebook or by visiting www.McDonoughFuneralHome.com at any time.