Francis G. Patnaude

DRACUT - Francis G. Patnaude, 87, a Dracut resident, died Friday, September 28, 2007 at his residence surrounded by his loving family. He was the beloved husband of Helen M. (Stanewicz) Patnaude with whom he was married for 58 years.
Born in Lowell on July 27, 1920, he was a son of the late Francis and Regina (Vachon) Patenaude.
In his youth Mr. Patnaude was a Lowell Sun carrier. He was a pitcher for the American Legion Baseball Team, but had to miss some of his games because of his duties as a Lowell Sun carrier because whatever he earned was given to his mother. In 1939, the Lowell Sun carriers' group made a trip to New York to the World's Fair and it was a memorable trip for him.
He attended Lowell Schools, was a graduate of Lowell High School and attended Lowell Technological Institute. He was a communicant of St. Michael Church.
He served with the Army Air Force during World War II in the Asiatic Pacific Campaign and saw action in the East Indies, Papua, New Guinea, North Solomons, and Bismarck-Archipelago. He received the Good Conduct Medal, the Presidential Unit Citation, the American Defense Service Medal and the Asiatic-Pacific Theatre Campaign Ribbon with Five Battle Stars.
He was the former proprietor of the Rainbow Spa in Tyngsboro. He was employed for 30 years with the Bolta Company, a division of General Tire in Lawrence. He was also the president of Local 243.
Mr. Patnaude was an avid fan of both the Boston Red Sox and the New England Patriots. He enjoyed gardening and he grew the best tomatoes which he shared with special people.
He was a former member of the North East Baseball Board from 1975 until 1978.
In addition to his wife he is survived by a daughter and son-in-law, Carole A. and Frederick Zink of Longwood, FL; two sons and daughters-in-law, Neal F. and Ann Marie (Trudel) Patnaude of Merrimack, NH and David B. and Maria (D'Amore) Patnaude of Peabody; a brother, Lionel Patenaude of Lowell; seven grandchildren, Adam, Matthew and Olivia Zink, Andrew, Laura, Jessica and Erika Patnaude; also many nieces, nephews and cousins. He was a brother of the late Rita Patenaude, Annette Medlock, Violet Lamontagne, Pearl Patenaude and Omer Patenaude.