Obituary

Arthur N. Blanchette, age 85, of Brockton, passed away January 11, 2012. He was the loving husband for 57 years of Mary L. (Murphy) Blanchette. A lifelong resident of Brockton, he was the son of the late Louis N. and Noelie (Charest) Blanchette. During WWII he served with the Army Air Corps, 321st Squadron, 5th Air Force, as a B-24 Ball Turret Gunner in the Pacific with the “Jolly Rogers”. He later joined the US Marine Corps at South Weymouth Naval Air station and served in the Korean War as an Aviation Ordnance Chief. He retired after 30 years of service as a Master Gunnery Sargeant. For over 30 years he was a Brockton Police Officer, retiring in 1990, proudly wearing Badge #1. He was a member of the Brockton YMCA and summer resident of Swifts Beach. He enjoyed swimming with his children and grandchildren, gardening, yard work, Army reunions and trips to Ireland.
In addition to his wife he is survived by his children Charles E. Blanchette and his wife Linda of Brockton, Paula D. Blanchette of Pembroke, Suzanne M. Spada and her husband Zano of Brockton and Denise A. Donahue and her husband Jeffre of Rockland; his grandchildren Charles, Adam, Juliana and Lesley Blanchette, Jeffre and Daniel Donahue, Brandon Spada and Suzanne Shaw; great grandchildren Savell Samuel and Siddiq Shaw; a sister Dolores F. Covell of Brockton and brother Roger F. Blanchette of Marion, and many nieces and nephews. He was the brother of the late L. Leonard, Charles E. and Alfred G. Blanchette and AnnaBelle C. Poirier.
Visitation will be held in the Conley Funeral Home, 138 Belmont Street (Rte 123) Brockton Sunday 2-6pm. The funeral procession will form at the funeral home Monday at 9am with a funeral mass in Christ The King Parish at 10am. Burial in St. James Cemetery, Whitman. In memory of Arthur donations may be made to St. Joseph's Manor 215 Thatcher Street Brockton, MA 02302. To view St. Joseph's website click here to see how your donations will help.