David T. Turcotte

RUTLAND — David T. Turcotte, 76, formerly of Princeton, passed away peacefully at UMass Memorial Healthcare – Lake Ave. Campus on Thursday, August 16, after a lengthy battle with Parkinson’s disease. Born in Boston and raised in Fitchburg, Dave was the son of the late Eugene A. and Agnes I. (Kernan) Turcotte and lived 34 years in Princeton before moving to Rutland in 2005.

Dave was a graduate of St. Bernard’s High School in Fitchburg, class of 1960. He later graduated from Fitchburg State University and attended graduate school at University of Massachusetts in Amherst, Boston University and the University of Connecticut in Storrs. After graduating from Fitchburg University, Dave taught briefly at Narragansett Regional High School before transitioning to a position at the Worcester Telegram and Gazette. His 44 year career at the Telegram began as a reporter in the Fitchburg Bureau before being assigned to the Worcester office as a medical reporter. Around 1970, Dave was promoted to a copy editor and worked on the “Rim” and the county desk. He was promoted to the editor of the Montachusett Telegram and Gazette location in Leominster and later served as Chief Librarian in Worcester before his retirement in 2009. He served as a Princeton Firefighter for many years and was chairman of the Princeton Democratic Committee. After moving to Rutland, Dave served on the Rutland Democratic Committee and the Rutland Historical Society. He was active in local Democratic politics and often served as a delegate to the Democratic State Convention.

In his spare time, Dave enjoyed sailing at the cape and restoring one of the oldest homes in Rutland. He was a certified scuba dive and enjoyed diving in the Caribbean, Sea of Cortes and the Atlantic Ocean. He will be remembered for his good looks, kind nature, wit, booming deep voice, strength and athletic ability developed through years of running.

He will be lovingly missed and remembered by his wife and best friend of 48 years, Lynn A. (Morrill) Turcotte; a brother, S. Robert McDermott of Fitchburg; a sister-in-law, Sandra (Morrill) Fife and her husband, Robert of South Yarmouth; his beloved dog and second best friend, Kellie; two cats, Hailey and Bubbles; several nephews and nieces.

Relatives and friends are invited to visit with Dave’s family from 4 to 7 pm on Sunday, August 19, at Miles Funeral Home,1158 Main St., Holden. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 10 am on Monday, August 20, at Prince of Peace Church, 5 Worcester Rd., Princeton, followed by burial at Rural Cemetery in Rutland. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the American Parkinson’s Association Massachusetts Chapter, 72 East Concord St., Room C3, Boston, MA 02118 ( www.ap daparkinson.org) or Neady Cats, Inc., a no-kill shelter, (dba Cats in Need), P.O. Box 2B., West Boylston, MA 01583. To share a memory or offer a condolence, please visit our “Guest Book.”







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