Marion Wishart Packard

HOLDEN – Marion Wishart Packard, 90, of 230 Highland Street, a 57-year resident of Holden, died while under hospice care in Princeton at the home of her son Robert, on Tuesday, November 29, 2005.

Her husband of 54 years, Theodore H. Packard a W.P.I. English Professor, died in 1994. She leaves four sons, Robert T. Packard and his wife, Kathleen of Princeton, Charles T. Packard and his wife Gail of Westhampton, Peter H. Packard of Holden, and David W. Packard and his wife Mimi of Goshen; a daughter, Constance A. Packard-Hayden of Amherst; a sister, Arlene W. Sylvester of Auburndale; nine grandchildren, Kenneth, Jennifer, Jonathan, Aaron, Carrie Packard Patria, Sara and Mark Packard, Shannon Hayden Johnson and Andrew Hayden; eight great-grandchildren; four nieces and nephews, Carolyn Churchill, Martha Warren, Ron Sylvester, and BettyAnn Ludington. A sister, Barbara W. Erickson, predeceased her.

Mrs. Packard was born in Barre, Vermont, daughter of Almira “Ally” Trow and Charles H. Wishart. Pursuing her favorite subject, organic chemistry, she graduated Middlebury College in 1937. She continued her studies at Columbia University in dietetics. After college, she worked as a dietitian at the Women’s Educational Industrial Union (WEIU) in Boston and at Dartmouth College where she met and married her husband, Theodore. They lived in Plymouth and Ayer prior to moving to Holden in 1948.

Mrs. Packard had a wide variety of interests and was involved in numerous community and civic organizations where she was respected for reliably providing practical help with intelligence and modesty. She was a generous supporter of her children’s activities including Cub Scouts and Girl Scouts. She was an active member of the Holden Congregational Church and was a Deacon, Sunday School Teacher and Corner Shop volunteer. She also contributed to the W.P.I. Wives Club and the Middlebury Alumni Club. She was an avid N.E. sports fan and enjoyed sewing, cooking and reading.

A memorial service for Mrs. Packard will be held at 10 a.m. on Tuesday, December 6, in the First Congregational Church, 1180 Main Street (Rte. 122A), Holden. Burial will follow in Grove Cemetery, 1290 Main Street (Rte. 122A), Holden. Calling hours are from 6 to 8 p.m. on Monday, December 5, in the Miles Funeral Home, 1158 Main Street (Rte. 122A), Holden. Memorial donations may be made to UMass Memorial Hospice, P.O. Box 2795, Worcester, MA 01613-9938; or the Memorial Fund of the First Congregational Church, 1180 Main Street, Holden, MA 01520.

Website & Guestbook: www.milesfuneralhome.com