Lionel J. Blais, Head of 2 U.S. Cemeteries
SPRINGFIELD - Lionel J. Blais of 80 Oregon St., the former superintendent of two U.S. military cemeteries in France, died at Baystate Medical Center on Tuesday.
He was later the 20 year maintenance superintendent at Western New England College in 1984. Born in Franklin New Hampshire son of the late Alphonse J. and Mary Jane (England) Blais. He moved here in 1957, an Army veteran of the European theater in World War II, he was a medical corpsman with Gen. George S. Patton's third army in 1944-1945.
He married a French girl, Suzanne J. Clement in 1946, and left the Army in 1946 to join the U.S. Graves Registration Command. He became Superintendent of the U.S. World War I Cemetery at St. Michiel, France, and was named superintendent of the big Normandy Cemetery in 1953. Spread over 172 acres on the bluffs overlooking Omaha Beach, the cemetery contains the graves of 9,386 U.S. servicemen who fell in the Allied invasion of Northern France.
The deceased, who spent a total of 14 years in France, was a communicant of Holy Cross Church.
Besides his wife, he leaves three sons, Roland L. and George M. of Springfield, and Leslie R. Blais of Wilbraham; a daughter Brenda L. Johnston of Lowell; a brother, Roger of Franklin; four sisters Germaine Lorenz of Port Charlotte, Fla, Rita Tetreault of Springfield, Rachel Ouellette of Dover, N.H. and Annette Miller of Westfield; 12 grandchildren, and eight great grandchildren.
The funeral will be Thursday morning at Hafey Springfield Chapels and the Church, with Burial in Saint Michael's Cemetery. Calling hours will be this afternoon and evening, and memorial contributions may be made to the Open Pantry, 769 Worthington St. PO Box 5127, Springfield, 01102-5127
SPRINGFIELD - Lionel J. Blais of 80 Oregon St., the former superintendent of two U.S. military cemeteries in France, died at Baystate Medical Center on Tuesday.
He was later the 20 year maintenance superintendent at Western New England College in 1984. Born in Franklin New Hampshire son of the late Alphonse J. and Mary Jane (England) Blais. He moved here in 1957, an Army veteran of the European theater in World War II, he was a medical corpsman with Gen. George S. Patton's third army in 1944-1945.
He married a French girl, Suzanne J. Clement in 1946, and left the Army in 1946 to join the U.S. Graves Registration Command. He became Superintendent of the U.S. World War I Cemetery at St. Michiel, France, and was named superintendent of the big Normandy Cemetery in 1953. Spread over 172 acres on the bluffs overlooking Omaha Beach, the cemetery contains the graves of 9,386 U.S. servicemen who fell in the Allied invasion of Northern France.
The deceased, who spent a total of 14 years in France, was a communicant of Holy Cross Church.
Besides his wife, he leaves three sons, Roland L. and George M. of Springfield, and Leslie R. Blais of Wilbraham; a daughter Brenda L. Johnston of Lowell; a brother, Roger of Franklin; four sisters Germaine Lorenz of Port Charlotte, Fla, Rita Tetreault of Springfield, Rachel Ouellette of Dover, N.H. and Annette Miller of Westfield; 12 grandchildren, and eight great grandchildren.
The funeral will be Thursday morning at Hafey Springfield Chapels and the Church, with Burial in Saint Michael's Cemetery. Calling hours will be this afternoon and evening, and memorial contributions may be made to the Open Pantry, 769 Worthington St. PO Box 5127, Springfield, 01102-5127
Lionel J. Blais, Head of 2 U.S. Cemeteries
SPRINGFIELD - Lionel J. Blais of 80 Oregon St., the former superintendent of two U.S. military cemeteries in France, died at Baystate Medical Center on Tuesday.
He was later the 20 year maintenance superintendent at Western New England College in 1984. Born in Franklin New Hampshire son of the late Alphonse J. and Mary Jane (England) Blais. He moved here in 1957, an Army veteran of the European theater in World War II, he was a medical corpsman with Gen. George S. Patton's third army in 1944-1945.
He married a French girl, Suzanne J. Clement in 1946, and left the Army in 1946 to join the U.S. Graves Registration Command. He became Superintendent of the U.S. World War I Cemetery at St. Michiel, France, and was named superintendent of the big Normandy Cemetery in 1953. Spread over 172 acres on the bluffs overlooking Omaha Beach, the cemetery contains the graves of 9,386 U.S. servicemen who fell in the Allied invasion of Northern France.
The deceased, who spent a total of 14 years in France, was a communicant of Holy Cross Church.
Besides his wife, he leaves three sons, Roland L. and George M. of Springfield, and Leslie R. Blais of Wilbraham; a daughter Brenda L. Johnston of Lowell; a brother, Roger of Franklin; four sisters Germaine Lorenz of Port Charlotte, Fla, Rita Tetreault of Springfield, Rachel Ouellette of Dover, N.H. and Annette Miller of Westfield; 12 grandchildren, and eight great grandchildren.
The funeral will be Thursday morning at Hafey Springfield Chapels and the Church, with Burial in Saint Michael's Cemetery. Calling hours will be this afternoon and evening, and memorial contributions may be made to the Open Pantry, 769 Worthington St. PO Box 5127, Springfield, 01102-5127
SPRINGFIELD - Lionel J. Blais of 80 Oregon St., the former superintendent of two U.S. military cemeteries in France, died at Baystate Medical Center on Tuesday.
He was later the 20 year maintenance superintendent at Western New England College in 1984. Born in Franklin New Hampshire son of the late Alphonse J. and Mary Jane (England) Blais. He moved here in 1957, an Army veteran of the European theater in World War II, he was a medical corpsman with Gen. George S. Patton's third army in 1944-1945.
He married a French girl, Suzanne J. Clement in 1946, and left the Army in 1946 to join the U.S. Graves Registration Command. He became Superintendent of the U.S. World War I Cemetery at St. Michiel, France, and was named superintendent of the big Normandy Cemetery in 1953. Spread over 172 acres on the bluffs overlooking Omaha Beach, the cemetery contains the graves of 9,386 U.S. servicemen who fell in the Allied invasion of Northern France.
The deceased, who spent a total of 14 years in France, was a communicant of Holy Cross Church.
Besides his wife, he leaves three sons, Roland L. and George M. of Springfield, and Leslie R. Blais of Wilbraham; a daughter Brenda L. Johnston of Lowell; a brother, Roger of Franklin; four sisters Germaine Lorenz of Port Charlotte, Fla, Rita Tetreault of Springfield, Rachel Ouellette of Dover, N.H. and Annette Miller of Westfield; 12 grandchildren, and eight great grandchildren.
The funeral will be Thursday morning at Hafey Springfield Chapels and the Church, with Burial in Saint Michael's Cemetery. Calling hours will be this afternoon and evening, and memorial contributions may be made to the Open Pantry, 769 Worthington St. PO Box 5127, Springfield, 01102-5127
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