Laurie J Blacquiere

Laurie J. Blacquiere, 67, of 18 Turner Street, Baldwinville, died peacefully, Wednesday, January 27th in UMASS Memorial Medical Center, Lake Ave North, following a long illness.

Born in Joggins Minds Nova Scotia, Canada on March 11, 1942, he was the son of the late Joseph I. and Vitaline (Bourgeois) Blacquiere.

Laurie was a Firefighter for the City of Gardner for 31 years, retiring in 2000. He was also a self-employed carpenter, and in 1966-1967 he was Clerk of the Works during the nine-hole expansion for the Gardner Municipal Golf Course.

Laurie graduated from Gardner High School with the Class of 1960. In 1962, he received an Associates Degree in Agriculture from UMass Stockbridge School of Agriculture and in 1975 he received an Associates Degree in Fire Sciences from Mount Wachusett Community College, Gardner.

Laurie served six years in the United States Air Force Reserves.

He was a member of Our Lady of the Holy Rosary Church, Gardner. Laurie was a member of the Democratic City Committee of Gardner, a member of the Gardner Planning Board, a Fourth Degree Knights of Columbus Bishop Beaven Assembly of Fitchburg. He was a Life Member of the Gardner Lions Club and received many awards from the Lions Club International. He was on the Board of Directors for the Alpha Tau Gamma Fraternity of UMass Amherst and was involved in many projects of landscaping and construction.

Laurie was involved with the establishment of the Gardner Animal Shelter. He was a Reserve Deputy Sheriff with the Worcester County Sheriff's Department. Laurie was awarded the Life Hero Award from Mount Wachusett Community College for outstanding volunteerism - which was an integral part of his life.

Laurie enjoyed fishing, Scouting with his sons, and especially loved spending time with his grandchildren.

He leaves his wife of 43 years, Ann Marie "Jean" (Babineau) Blacquiere of Baldwinville; two sons, Gary J. Blacquiere and his significant other Michelle Martin of Gardner and Stephen J. Blacquiere and his wife Irene of Baldwinville; six grandchildren, Chellane Cote, Jacob, Alexander, Steven, Corbin J. and Kira Jean Blacquiere; one great grandchild, Jasmine Cheries; three aunts, Sally LeBlanc of New Bedford, Mary Roy of Moncton, N.B. Canada and Delia Hachey of Bouctouche, N.B. Canada; one uncle, Alyre LeBlanc of New Bedford; one niece, Michelle MacAloney of East Templeton; five cousins, Linda Taylor and her husband Christopher of New Bedford, Elda Gormley and her husband Steve of Lancaster, Rita Gallant and her husband Camille of Moncton, N.B. Canada, Rene LeBlanc of New Bedford and Evelyn Brian and her husband Bernie of St. Marie de Kent, N.B. Canada. He was predeceased by a brother, Dennis Blacquiere who died in June of 2009.

Funeral services will be held Monday, February 1st from the Boucher Funeral Home, Inc., 110 Nichols Street, Gardner with a Mass at 11:00 a.m. in Our Lady of the Holy Rosary Church, 135 Nichols Street, Gardner. Burial will be in Notre Dame Cemetery, Gardner, at a later date.

Calling hours in the funeral home will be Sunday, January 31st from 2:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Knights of Columbus, Attn: Grand Knight, 110 South Main Street, Gardner, MA 014340 or to the Gardner Lions Club to Establish a Fund in Laurie's name, P.O. Box 483, Gardner, MA 01440.

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