Joyce F. Grace, 81, of Mattapoisett, passed away peacefully on Saturday, September 2, 2023. She was the wife of the late Donald E. Grace. Born in New Bedford, daughter of the late Abel and Mary (Silveria) Rapoza, she was raised in New Bedford before moving to Mattapoisett. Joyce loved birdwatching, seeing lighthouses, solving puzzles, and going to the Christmas Tree Shop. She loved being a grandma and great-grandma. Joyce worked at Old Hammondtown School for many years as a secretary. She was a graduate of New Bedford High School class of 1961. Survivors include her grandson, Christopher J. Warren and his wife Jennifer Claudino of New Bedford; and her great-grandchildren, Austin Henriques and Quinn Warren. She is predeceased by her sister Shirley Perry. Joyce's visitation will be held Saturday, September 9th from 8-9 am at the Saunders-Dwyer Mattapoisett Home for Funerals, 50 County Road, Mattapoisett. A Funeral Service will be held on Saturday at 9 am and burial will follow in Riverside Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, please make a donation to the Humane Society and Shelter Southcoast at https://hsssc.org/donate/ or a charity of your choice.

William D. Johnston (Bill) of Marion, MA passed away Thursday, August 31, 2023 at Tobey Hospital in Wareham.

He was the husband of Ellen M. (Collins) Johnston. Born in Boston, the son of Horace and Dorothea (Flynn) Johnston, Bill moved to Marion in 1965. A veteran of the U.S. Army, Bill enjoyed spending time with his family and friends, sailing, skiing, gardening, traveling, and many more outdoor activities.

An active member of the Marion Community, he served on town committees, was a wharfinger at the town dock, and a former member of the Beverly Yacht Club.

Before becoming a founding partner of his own firm, Thompson Consultants, Bill worked at various engineering firms in the Boston area, including Souza and True and CDM.

He is survived by his wife of 47 years, his sons Lawrence, Charles, Heath, and Sean, his daughter Susan, his brothers Albert and John, many grandchildren, great-grandchildren, nieces, Aunt Ruth, and several cousins.

Bill's Funeral Mass will be held on Saturday, September 9th at 11:00 am at Saint Anthony's Church in Mattapoisett. Visitation will take place at Church prior to the Mass from 10-11 am. In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation in memory of Bill to Friends of Marion Council on Aging, 465 Mill Street, Marion, MA 02738. Arrangements are by the Saunders-Dwyer Mattapoisett Home for Funerals, 50 County Rd., Mattapoisett. For online condolence book, please visit www.saundersdwyer.com.

Scott D. Gauvin, 55, of Rochester passed away peacefully Wednesday, August 30th 2023, surrounded by his family. He was the husband of Janet M. (Plaud) Gauvin.

Born in New Bedford, the son of Bernard and Nancy (Hawes) Gauvin, Scott grew up in Mattapoisett having graduated from Old Rochester Regional High School in 1986. Scott moved to Rochester in 1994, where he raised his family and remained for the duration of his life. Scott retired from the Town of Mattapoisett Water Department after more than 20 years of service. His hard work, dedication, humor and all-around good spirit brought smiles to his hometown extended family. Scott truly enjoyed making others laugh and will be remembered for always having a joke to tell. He will also be remembered for having a huge heart and genuine desire to help others.

Scott enjoyed spending time with his family and was happiest when outdoors or working with his son in the garage. He was a skilled mechanic and could often fix things that no one else could. Scott was a devoted listener to Sunday Mornings Over Easy and Acoustic Sunrise. Many Sunday mornings were spent with his wife drinking coffee while listening to his old school twelve-speaker stereo system and looking out over his backyard as deer, woodchucks, turkeys, and an occasional coyote passed by. Scott also enjoyed taking his family for rides on his tricked-out golf cart as well as riding his scooter "around town" and into Mattapoisett with his wife. He was most proud of his John Deere tractor and how fast it could mow his lawn and out run his neighbors. Time spent with his three grandchildren provided him great joy, always bringing a smile to his face.

Survivors include his wife of 33 years; his daughter, Chelsey Frey and her husband Marc of New Bedford and their two children Mia and Leo; his son, Brett Gauvin and his wife April of Mattapoisett and their daughter Charlotte; his parents; his brother, Mark Gauvin and his wife Kathy of Mattapoisett; his sister, Joann Price and her husband Jim of Mattapoisett; brother-in-law, Steve Calise of Mattapoisett; mother-in-law Joan Plaud of Rochester; brother-in-law, Stephen Plaud and his wife Susan of Tiverton; brother-in-law, Howard Plaud and his wife Linda of Rochester; sister-in-law, Vanessa Martins and her husband Joe of Rochester; sister-in-law, Paris Worthington and her husband Kevin of Acushnet; sister-in-law, Jennifer Viera and her husband Kenny of Rochester; brother-in-law, Lawrence Plaud and his wife Lydia of Fall River; dear cousin, Lorry Barry Wolski and her husband Pete of Mattapoisett; along with many loving aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces and nephews.

Scott was predeceased by his beautiful sister Colleen Calise.

His wake will be held at Saunders-Dwyer Mattapoisett Home for Funerals on Monday September 4th, 2023 from 2PM-7PM. His Funeral Mass will be held on Tuesday, September 5th, at 10AM at St. Anthony's Church in Mattapoisett. Please meet directly at church. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, otherwise known as ASPCA www.aspca.org. Scott had a true love of animals, especially elephants, and would be so happy to know.

For directions and guestbook, visit www.saundersdwyer.com.

Douglas "Doug" W Menard of Marion, Massachusetts peacefully passed away August 25 at his home in Marion, Massachusetts. Doug was born on October 3rd, 1946 in New Bedford, Massachusetts. After high school he was in the Air Force, and upon finishing his duty he relocated to Miami, Florida and attended college for landscape design. He soon moved back up to the Northeast and to Marion where his landscape company flourished. He had an eye for creating distinctive garden designs and displayed his work in the Boston Flower and Garden show. Doug had a brief stint with fame when he had a small role in the 2012 Chris Messina movie, Fairhaven (2012). He loved simple pleasures, having good food and a cold beer on his deck looking out to the river, listening to the Allman Brothers, watching college basketball, attending concerts in the area, tinkering in his yard, and reminiscing about his childhood summer days on Long Pond. He is the loving father of Kyle Menard and Jarrett Menard. Doting grandfather to Gavin Menard and Logan Menard. He is survived by his sisters, Claudia Warrington, Marilyn Watts, nieces, and countless friends and colleagues. Rifty-boo! Contributions in Doug's name can be made to SCVNA Hospice 200 Mill Road Fairhaven, MA 02719

Travis Cosaboom, 83, of Oldwick, NJ passed away peacefully on August 26th in Lawrence Township, NJ after a long struggle with dementia. He was born in Medford, NJ on October 1, 1939, and attended RVRHS in Mt. Holly where he was a standout player on the football team. He went on to the University of Delaware (Class of 1961) on a football scholarship where he was a valuable player on their football team, the fighting Blue Hens, and where he also earned a master's degree in business. He had a long successful career with General Motors rising in various management positions, and worked for GM in Wilmington, DE, Detroit, MI, Tarrytown, NY, NYC and Linden, NJ. He additionally worked internationally for GM in South Korea and helped open a GM plant in Spain where he also set up a school for American ex-patriots. Travis was a member of the Somerset Lake and Game Club and the Mattapoisett Casino.

Travis was pre-deceased by his parents, Ervin and Ada Cosaboom, and sister, Linda Mechel. He is survived by his sister Lana Robbins, his three children, Michael Cosaboom, Brant Cosaboom and Jeanetta Cosaboom and six grandchildren. He is also survived by his ex-wife Nancy Mayer, his longtime partner Hilary Prouty, her two children and one grandchild. He will be greatly missed by his family and many friends, as well as his beloved Border Terrier Barney. Heartfelt gratitude is extended to Olu Ericon (Wally) who lovingly and gently cared for Travis in Oldwick as well as the other places he lived as his dementia advanced, until the very end.

Shortly before his retirement Travis met Hilary Prouty and they started their happy 20-year journey together, maintaining a residence in Oldwick, NJ and a summer home in Mattapoisett, MA. His retirement years with Hilary were filled with adventures: hiking and biking the hills of Tewksbury and "flatlands" of Mattapoisett, as well as embarking on many extended active vacations in this country and abroad. Travis also relished the peace and relaxation which Mattapoisett offered, taking long walks on the beach with Hilary and their dog, kayaking the smooth waters of the quiet inner ponds off the harbor hoping to catch a glimpse of some native shore birds, playing mediocre tennis, enjoying a glass of wine while taking in the stunning sunsets, or simply sitting in the shade with a book in hand, savoring the view.

Always an athlete and an outdoor and fitness enthusiast, Travis was a dedicated runner & past marathoner, often rising before dawn in Oldwick to get in his 5 miles while his partner was still slumbering. He regularly worked out at the gym, and he and Hilary often attended yoga classes together. He could be fiercely competitive and sometimes hot-tempered, as those who know him are aware, but he was also kind, gentle, humble, compassionate, and generous.

Some of his friends may not know that while raising his own family, Travis and his ex-wife fostered several young children to help give them a better start in life. They also participated in many volunteer projects with the Sierra Club. After he retired and moved to Oldwick, Travis volunteered his time with several local charities, including delivering Meals on Wheels, helping the elderly with their income tax preparation, and was appointed by the State of NJ to act as a guardian to those residents who required help managing their affairs. He was so grateful that he was given the opportunity to attend college, he never stopped "giving back" to those in need.

On a personal level, it was my greatest joy to have had Travis as my full-time partner, lover, companion, and best friend for over 20 years. Although I was still working when we first started living together and often didn't get home until evening, he would always have a wonderful home-cooked meal waiting for me, complete with candlelight and wine! He was an accomplished self-taught chef and we often gathered friends and neighbors together, especially our fellow "Church Streeters", around our dining room table to enjoy his home-cooking. Those evenings remain most memorable!

Although devastated by the loss of dear Travis, I will forever cherish and be comforted by the memories of the many happy years we shared together.

A Memorial Service was held on September 4th at the Blackwell Memorial Home in Pennington, NJ, and to be followed by a private celebration of Travis' life at a later date. In lieu of flowers, one may consider making a gift in his memory to support the UD Football program. Below is the link to do so online and the address to which to mail checks. Checks can be made payable to the University of Delaware and in the memo field please indicate - "UD Football - in honor of Travis Cosaboom".

Link: https://ud.alumniq.com/giving/to/bluehens

Attn: Gifts Processing

83 East Main St., 3rd Floor

Newark, DE 19716

Elizabeth Croll Atkinson, of Mattapoisett, passed away peacefully early Friday, August 25, 2023 at the age of 93. Born in Sayre, PA, she was the youngest daughter of LaRue and Charlotte Croll of Waverly, NY.

Mrs. Atkinson was predeceased by her loving husband of 63 years, Robert, and her sister Roberta Paden. She is survived by her two children, Robert H. Atkinson, Jr. and his wife, Christine, of Charleston, SC and Sarah Atkinson Cammiso and her husband, Marty, of Vienna, VA. Elizabeth also leaves behind seven grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren.

Elizabeth attended Stephens College in Missouri and received her Bachelor's degree from Boston University. She taught elementary school on a military base in Salzburg, Austria and then returned and worked for Horticulture Magazine in Boston. After she met Robert, they raised their family together. During this time, she worked as a substitute teacher. In her early 50s, she became an interior designer focusing on Colonial homes.

Mattapoisett was very special to her; she loved sailing, biking and spending time at the beach, as well as anitiquing and tending to her gardens. She was a beloved wife, mother, grandmother and great grandmother.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Elizabeth's name to the Mattapoisett Public Library (www.mattapoisettlibrary.org), the Mattapoisett Land Trust (www.mattlandtrust.org) or Veterans on Deck (www.veteransondeck.org). A private family service will be held in Winchester, Massachusetts.

Arrangements are with the Saunders-Dwyer Mattapoisett Home for Funerals, 50 County Rd. (Rt. 6), Mattapoisett. For online guestbook, visit www.saundersdwyer.com.

Joseph A. Souza, 89, of Acushnet died August 23, 2023 at Brandon Woods of Dartmouth.

Born in New Bedford, son of the late Joseph and Mary (Rebello) Souza.

He was a retired mechanic and repair technician.

Mr. Souza served in the U.S. Navy during the Korean War.

He enjoyed playing guitar with his friends.

Survivors include his sister, Eileen Hall of Marion; a niece, Pamela Lees and her husband John of Marion; 2 nephews, Richard Souza of California and Nelson Rolland of Kingston; 2 great-nieces, Britt St. George and her husband Zachary and Madison Smith and her husband Edward; her great-great-niece, Sunny St. George.

Survivors also include special loved ones; Ruth Barksdale, Danielle Barksdale and her husband Donald, Nicole Hardin Francis and her husband Andrew, Lori-ane Lavoie ,Melissa Westgate and her husband Gary and Talon Lavoie.

Predeceased by siblings James, Joseph, Jr., Everett, Lionel, Noemia, Mary, Lydia and Natalie, her brother-in-law William Hall and her life-long friend Eleanor Jane Martin.

His private Funeral Service was held on Tuesday, September 5th in the Saunders-Dwyer Mattapoisett Home for Funerals, 50 County Rd. (Rt. 6), Mattapoisett. Burial followed in the Massachusetts National Cemetery.

Ralph E. Sanford, Jr., 90, a lifelong resident of Mattapoisett, MA, the beloved husband of 63 years to wife Patricia, and devoted father to Caroline, Neal, Mark, and Paul, died peacefully at home on August 15, 2023, with his family by his side.

He was born in Westport, MA, on February 27,1933, to Ralph, Sr., and Emma (Hall). After a wonderful upbringing in Westport, the family moved to Palmer, MA, where Ralph finished high school. He then took a job as an apprenticed draftsman for General Electric located in Pittsfield, MA.

He married and lived in Dalton, MA for several years before moving to Mattapoisett where he and Patricia raised their children. Ralph pursued his education receiving his bachelor's degree from UMass Dartmouth and a master's degree from Bentley College. He was a gifted teacher and patient educator at Old Colony Regional Vocational High School and then as a respected instructor at Bristol Community College, retiring with the honor of professor emeritus. Ralph quietly and warm-heartedly shared his wisdom, knowledge, and joy of learning with his students, family, and all those he met.

He was an Eagle Scout, a proud Veteran of the Army who also enjoyed sailing on Buzzard's Bay, skiing all over the New England area, bicycling, traveling, spending time at Newfound Lake in Bristol, NH, and being a member of the AMC Four-Thousand-Footer Club. Members of the family will continue to carry on his many interests.

He is lovingly survived by Patricia, their children, their spouses, 11 grandchildren, and 6 great-grandchildren.

Calling hours are on Sunday (9/10) from 2 to 4 pm at Lambert Funeral Home & Crematory, 1799 Elm St., Manchester. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated Monday (9/11) at 11 am at St. Raphael Church, 103 Walker St., Manchester. Committal prayers will follow at the New Hampshire State Veterans Cemetery, 110 D.W. Highway, Boscawen, NH.

The family asks that in lieu of flowers, donations be made to the services of veterans by way of the Manchester (NH) VA Medical Center (ATTN: Voluntary Service) at 718 Smyth Road, Manchester NH 03104 (https://www.pay.gov/public/form/start/52253675) .To leave a message of condolence, please visit https://www.lambertfuneralhome.com/

It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of our Mother, Janet Theresa (Burdette) Risgin. She passed away peacefully at home on Friday, August 11, 2023 at the age of 76.

She was the loving and devoted wife of the late John E. (Jack) Risgin with whom she shared 48 years of marriage. She was also the loving daughter of the late Everette A. and Helen M. (Long) Burdette, born on March 31, 1947 in Washington D.C.

Janet is survived by her 3 children: Jill K. Risgin and Antonio Botta of Wareham, MA; John A. Risgin and his wife Leanne of Dartmouth, MA; and Joseph E. Risgin and his wife Julie of Franklin, MA. She also leaves behind her five grandchildren: Dylan Zell, Adrienne Risgin, Ethan Risgin, Jamison Risgin and Ruby Risgin. She is also survived by her four siblings: Gary Burdette of Scottsdale, AZ; Sharon Francis of Bakersfield, CA; Steven Burdette of Pleasant Hill, CA and Deborah Burdette of Tulsa, OK.

A wake service will be held for Janet on Thursday, August 24, 2023 from 4pm to 7pm at the Saunders-Dwyer Mattapoisett Home for Funerals located at 50 Country Road (Rt 6) Mattapoisett, MA. She will be cremated with her ashes to be scattered at a later date along with our Father's. For full obituary, directions and guestbook, visit www.saundersdwyer.com.

Tucker Zenski (formerly Michael Osenkowski), 46 years old of Salem, MA died on August 10, 2023 in Seaside, Oregon.

Tucker was born March 25, 1977 in Petersburg VA.

He was a graduate of Mount St. Charles Academy, class of 1995 and University of Massachusetts Boston.

Tucker's quest for life began in the wild eyes of a boy named Mikey on the beaches of Mattapoisett with his family and Sac O Beans. It took him to the dance floors and living rooms of Salem and then out to the West Coast where he fell in love. As Mikey grew, his quest assigned him another name, Tucker. Off he went to Arcosanti, a commune in Arizona, where he met his life partner, Darina. He lived in San Francisco, where he was an EMT and then finally settled in the redwood forest where he amassed a huge group of friends that also became his family.

Tucker had a zest for life that was palpable. He was a dedicated friend and fiercely loyal. His level of vibrant energy and child like wonder balanced with his natural spiritual essence drew people towards him.

His imagination as a child helped create the best forts, and as an adult, magical wands and incredible grandiose stories and ideas. His creativity lead him to pottery, poetry and art.

His struggle in this life did not make it an easy one, but everyone who knew him did everything they ever could to love and support him and keep him healthy just as he did his best for everyone he knew.

As his quest for life slowed down, he fought for peace. In the end he truly felt like he was in a better place and slowly sailed into the West Coast sunset.

He is survived by his parents, Paul and Susan Osenkowski, his sister, Kimberly Delisle, his two nieces, Sarah and Marielle Delisle, his life partner Darina Trendafilova, his Sac O Beans crew, his Arcosanti family, and his Humbolt county family.

His visiting hours will be held on Friday, August 18th from 4-8 pm in the Saunders-Dwyer Mattapoisett Home for Funerals, 50 County Rd. (Rt. 6), Mattapoisett. His Celebration of Life will be held on Saturday, August 19th at 10:30 am at Shoolman Park adjacent to 8 Oaklawn Ave. Mattapoisett. His family will receive guests from 10 - 10:30 am prior to the service.