Raymond E. Birch

Dracut - Raymond E. Birch, 67, widow of Simonne (Comtois) (Laferriere) Birch, a Dracut resident formerly of Lawrence, died Saturday July 30, at the Northeast Specialty Hospital in Waltham.
He was born in Lawrence on August 16, 1937, a son of the late Edward and Ruth (Simard) Birch.
Mr. Birch was educated in Lawrence and had served in the US Army and was an MP officer. He was employed as a foreman for the former Lawrence Maid Footware Company. In earlier years he was a pitcher for several softball teams and also enjoyed playing in bowling leagues in the Lawrence area. Mr. Birch was a member of the Arlington Club and the Italy Grand Club in Lawrence. While residing in Dracut he was a communicant of St. Francis Church.
Survivors include four sons and a daughter in law, Raymond J. Birch, Walter F. Birch, David E. Birch all of Kingston, NH, Dean M. and Laura Birch of Rochester; a daughter and son in law, Gail A. and Alan Arduino of Newton; four stepsons and their wives, Ronald Laferriere and Debra Waite of Bozeman, MT, Raymond and Kathy Laferriere of Dracut, Commander Roger and Jennifer Laferriere USCG of Ft. Dix, NJ, Russell Laferriere of Dracut; a stepdaughter Susan Laferriere of Brookline, NH; two brothers and sisters in law, Robert and Kathy Birch of Kingston, NH, Walter and Shirley Birch of No. Andover; three sisters and a brother in law, Evelyn Smith of Groveland, Ruth Piccolomini, Emily and Bernard Rastello all of Methuen; a sister in law, Barbara Birch of Haverhill; his former wife, Josephine (Ferruolo) Gagnon of Kingston, NH;14 grandchildren; and several nieces and nephews. He was also the brother of the late Edward Birch.