Emilia Gallant

Mrs. Emilia (Moore) Gallant of Gardner, passed away peacefully Tuesday, June 21st in Heywood Hospital of Gardner, MA, after having had a stroke on June 11th; she had recently turned 101 on the 16th of June.

She leaves her son, Steven, his wife, Natasha, and her granddaughter, Zlata; all in Connecticut. She was predeceased by her husband, Jean Louis (better known as 'Humphrey') in July of 1970. She was also predeceased by her five brothers and five sisters; two residing in Connecticut, one in Massachusetts, and the others in Quebec province.

Emilia was born in 1915, in Black Lake, Quebec, the daughter of Noe and Philomene (Provencal) Moore. She immigrated to Gardner in 1950 to marry her beloved husband, World War II U.S. Army Veteran 'Humphrey' Gallant, himself from a Gardner family of five brothers (all WW2 veterans) and one sister.

Emilia lived first on Waterford Street, then Vaughan and Knowlton Streets for many years, before she finally took up residence on the top floor (or the 'penthouse' as she referred to it) of Gardner's 'high rise', where she was a fixture for more than 30 years.

She loved music and took every opportunity to go dancing whenever the chance presented itself. She also loved to travel; taking several cruises and going as far afield as Hawaii. In her later years she made watching "The Wheel of Fortune" part of her everyday routine, along with almost daily trips to Stop & Shop using the bus service at the high rise.

Emilia was a stay-at-home Mom, but later on after her husband died, she worked at several places including Diane's Donuts on Parker Street, The Old Mill in Westminster, Simplex Time Recorder, and lastly the McDonald's in Gardner where everyone knew her as the 'salad lady'.

Emilia was fiercely independent, always doing as much as she could by herself without asking for anyone's help. Offered to go live with her son in Connecticut, she would refuse each and every time, stubbornly preferring to rely on herself in order to live 'her way' (as anybody who knew her could attest).

Her happiest moment, and one she talked about incessantly, was the surprise 100th birthday party held for her at The Old Mill, last year. Although she was predeceased by all her brothers and sisters, and her in-laws on both sides of the family, save for her sister-in-law, Eleanor (on the Gallant side), more than 50 of her too-numerous-to-count nieces and nephews attended, to her eternal gratitude. This was a great gift for her to see her family, for what turned out to be the very last time.

Emilia often said that once having passed the 100-year milestone that it was time for her to see her beloved husband once again. We are sure that is the case...

Funeral Services will be held Tuesday, June 28th from the Boucher Funeral Home, Inc., 110 Nichols Street, Gardner with a Mass at 11:00 a.m. in Annunciation Parish/Our Lady of the Holy Rosary Church, 135 Nichols Street, Gardner. Burial will be in Notre Dame Cemetery, West Street (Route 68), Gardner.

Calling hours will be held in the funeral home on Monday, June 27th from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. and on Tuesday, June 28th from 9:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.

Memorial contributions may be made to Annunciation Parish/Our Lady of the Holy Rosary Church, 135 Nichols Street, Gardner, MA 01440.

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