Gerard W. Bourque, who had lived in Northborough for a very long time, passed away on January 2, 2023, following a brief struggle with illness. He had been a resident of the town for a very long time. He can look back on 89 years of experience. Gerard Joseph Bourque was the last child to be born to his parents, Camille Joseph and Cora Tina (Ellis) Bourque. He was the tenth and last child. Waltham, Massachusetts is where Gerard spent his childhood and where he was born. Gerard is survived by his devoted wife of 64 years, Dawn Y. (Lewis) Bourque; four children, including his sons Robert C. Bourque and his wife Kathy of Northborough and David P. Bourque and his wife Linda York of Little Elm, Texas; his daughter Wendy L. (Bourque) Kettenstock and her husband Frank of Danville, California;
And also, his daughter Glenda Bourque and her husband Bob Zalewski of Hudson, Massachusetts; nine grandchildren and fourteen great grandchildren In addition, Gerard’s brother Robert Bourque of Hyannis, Massachusetts, will go on after him after his passing. Gerard was the eighth and final brother, and his only sister, to pass away before he did. Gerard was also the final sibling. Gerard followed in the footsteps of his eight older brothers who had served in the military before him by enlisting in the United States Army during the Korean War and going on to receive a number of medals and awards for his service. During his time in the military, Gerard was honored with a number of medals and awards.
During his tenure as a member of the Vincent F. Picard American Legion Post 234, which lasted for a total of 38 years, he was able to rise through the ranks of the organization to become its Commander and Post Historian. He worked tirelessly to ensure that the veterans of Northborough, Massachusetts received the support they deserved. The “Legionnaire of the Year” award was bestowed to him the following year (2013). Up until not too long ago, Gerard served as the Parade Chairman for the annual Memorial Day Parade. He maintained this position for a number of years. Gerard was also a member of the town’s War Memorial Committee, where he oversaw the placement of plaques honoring Northborough residents who had been killed in action during World War II, the Korean War, or the War on Terrorism in the Gulf of Oman.
In addition, Gerard was a member of the Northborough Fire Department, where he served as a volunteer firefighter. In addition to that, he was a member of the Honor Guard and took part in a number of funeral services, including the affixing of flags to the gravestones of fallen troops. In 1992, Gerard took his retirement from Digital Equipment Corporation, where he had worked for a number of years and ultimately attained the post of manager of the Educational Services department. Aside from his dedication to assisting veterans, Gerard took great pleasure in spending time with his family, tending to his garden and cooking, as well as working on an infinite range of home improvement projects that provided him with a great deal of satisfaction.
Among these projects were the construction of a garden shed and the comprehensive renovation of a property in York Beach, Maine, which he undertook with his wife Dawn. Visitation will be held at the Hays Funeral Home on Monday, January 9, from 2:00 pm to 6:00 pm. The funeral home is situated in Northborough at 56 Main Street. Funeral services for Gerard will be held at the Hays on the morning of Tuesday, January 10 at eleven o’clock in the AM.