Obits: 24 and 22 year-olds, Microbiologist and Navy Nurse

Marlborough — Mathew M. Merrill, 22, of Marlborough died Sunday, Dec. 30 at UMass Medical Center in Worcester after a long illness.

Merrill was a graduate of Assabet Valley Regional Technical High School, Class of 2009. He enjoyed working on cars, music and basketball, as well as drawing and painting.

Westborough — Collette B. Gmitter, 92, of Westborough, died peacefully on Friday, Dec. 28 at the Notre Dame Long Term Care Center in Worcester surrounded by her loving family. She was the wife of the late Dr. George T. Gmitter.

Gmitter began her career as a microbiology lab researcher and was later appointed Section Head of Microbiological Control at Armour Laboratories in Chicago during the 1940’s and early 1950’s, something extremely rare for a woman of her day. She developed and quantitated microbiological test methods and was published in SCIENCE journal.

Marlborough — Lilianne Michelle Monge, 24, died Thursday, Dec. 27.

Shrewsbury — Viola M. Hull, 91, died Sunday, Dec. 30 in her daughter’s home in Shrewsbury surrounded by her loving family.

She worked for W.T. Grants for many years until it closed. She then worked at Guaranty Bank until retiring at age 66 in 1987. She was a faithful member of Saint Anne’s Parish in Shrewsbury for 28 years.

Shrewsbury — Beth Anne (Hughes) Russo, of Worcester, MA, passed unexpectedly on Sunday, Dec. 30 at University of Massachusetts Medical Center with her husband Greg by her side. She was 35.

Russo loved life and embraced so many different things. She had a passion and talent for music. She sang, played guitar, piano, and saxophone. Like many musicians, she too felt that when words fail, music speaks. She wrote many of her own songs.

Marlborough — Marjorie E. (Ryder) Parker, 76, died Monday night, Dec. 31 at her home after a short period of failing health.

Mrs. Parker worked many years as a home health care aid for the elderly in this area and also worked for over 20 years at the Marlborough Public Library.

Shrewsbury — Lucille (Ballou) Flanders, 74, died Saturday, Dec. 29 at St. Vincent Hospital in Worcester.

Hopkinton — George Henderson, died Jan. 1 at Framingham Union Hospital after a brief illness at 87 years-old.

Grafton — Donna J. (Prescott) DiLiddo, 65, of Grafton, died Thursday, Dec. 27 in Rose Monahan Hospice Residence after an illness.

Westborough — Virginia Ludwig Walthall, 90, of Westborough, died Saturday, Dec. 29.

Ginny trained to become a R.N. at St. Francis Hospital in Hartford and served her country as a Navy nurse during W.W.II.

Shrewsbury — Joseph Bernard O’Malley, 96, of Shrewsbury, formerly of Clinton, died Wednesday, Dec. 26 in Shrewsbury Nursing and Rehabilitation Center after an illness.

O’Malley worked for many years as a senior executive for the United States Government in Boston and Washington, DC, retiring in 1973 as Deputy Assistant Commissioner for the General Services Administration. After retirement, he lived for many years in Centerville on Cape Cod, and in the Southgate community in Shrewsbury.

Northborough — Merle “Ray” Braman, 88, died Jan. 1 in his home.

Mr. Braman owned and operated Braman’s Shell Station and B&C Automotive in Northborough. He taught adult classes in automotive repair at Assabet Valley Vocation High School during the late 1970s and early 1980s.