Obituary: Diana Saunders helped Wellesley bloom beautifully

An appreciation: Carol Chaoui, a wonderful Wellesley woman

An appreciation: Harry Clark, a young man who made Wellesley way better

Mourning Wellesley’s Dr. A. Karim Khudairi: A reminder of how we got here

Wellesley mourns passing of Lisa James Salon owner James Mortenson

How Wellesley funeral homes are coping with COVID-19

Remembering Tom Lee, longtime Wellesley official had softball field named for him

Raider pride

“The Mayor”

Making the rounds

State and national guidance

August 19, 2020 by Deborah Brown 2 Comments

It is with sadness that we share the news that Diana Saunders Juliano, long-time Wellesley resident and member of Wellesley Gardeners’ Guild (WGG), died on July 27, 2020 due to complications from breast cancer.

Throughout her ordeal, Diana in regular emails to her friends and family managed to simultaneously keep things light and hopeful while conveying the reality of her situation. She spoke often of her faith in God and her thankfulness for the people that were put in her path — her doctors, nurses, and other medical professionals, as well as the many friends and family who emailed and called. Her one complaint was that the pandemic precluded visitors. Her many admirers concurred.

We were in WGG together, and the picture above says it all about Diana. She was a woman of style, grace, optimism and unflagging energy. She could plan a wedding, organize a move, supervise a major home renovation, travel the world, take care of business at work, and provide a loving home, all with the back of her hand.

Diana is survived by her husband Philip and her daughter Caroline-Camilla Saunders, as well as many other family members and friends.

Here is a link to Diana’s obituary.

There will be a Catholic funeral mass held for Diana on Thursday, August 20, 2020. Mourners may attend the service at the church, or view the service online.

DATE OF SERVICES: Thur., Aug. 20, 2020

TIME: 11am

LOCATION: St. Cecilia’s Church, 18 Belvidere St., Boston, MA 02115

[Read more…]

August 4, 2020 by Bob Brown 12 Comments

Photo by Karen Griswold

There was never any shortage of Carol Chaoui stories. I literally could have written about her on any single day since we met some 20 years ago as Hunnewell Elementary School parents, whether it was documenting her running achievements, her international flair, her family’s exploits, her fundraising efforts, her fashion style, her food finds or her living the heck out of cancer.

But this is the story I never wanted to write about Carol. She passed away on Aug. 3 at the age of 56 from metastatic breast cancer surrounded by her family—husband Amin, children Adam, Lina, Rayan, and Darin, and dogs Finn & Ollie (formal obituary here).

Fast friends

I actually felt kind of awkward writing about Carol, since we were friends, so I kept it mainly to getting the word out about her various events. I generally left the profiles to other media outlets, be it Runner’s World, WEEI and its Jimmy Fund telethon, or local TV news stations. Though I’d boast of her to friends if we’d see her during training runs.

I joked with Carol about her ubiquity, but she defended it as the best way to boost awareness of metastatic breast cancer. The word “passionate” gets overused, but it applied to Carol in spades. So she smacked down with pro wrestlers, hung with pro football player and stroke survivor Tedi Bruschi, and joined Boston Marathon champ Bill Rodgers on a panel.

I really got to know Carol before she was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2009 and thyroid cancer in 2014. Before she became Wonder Woman, a persona and costume she embraced at road races along with her many caped and devoted superhero friends.

Wellesley, St. Patrick's Day — You couldn’t miss Carol at the Boston Marathon

To me, she was that tall redheaded woman who always seemed to be running at the same, fairly fast pace as me back in the day. More than once we’d push each other across 5K, 10K and half marathon courses.

My most memorable race vs. Carol took place at the Annual Officer Stewart Savage Memorial 5K and Kids Fun Run at Babson College, not long after one of her early cancer treatments. She swore she was just going to be “taking it easy,” but of course the next thing you know we are duking it out halfway through the race. And I am determined not to be the jerk to pass a woman recovering from chemotherapy treatments right at the finish line. I did not want to see myself on the cover of the Wellesley Townsman the next week doing that. So I sped up and Carol would have to beat me on another day.

For someone as competitive as Carol, I always found it refreshing that she seemed so chill at her kids’ sporting events. She just wanted them to enjoy whatever it was they were interested in, and wasn’t focused on them following in her running footsteps.

Two of our sons played soccer together for a couple of years, and Carol and I would often sit together under the shade trees at Elm Bank Reservation and yammer away about running, the kids, cancer, her time in and trips to Switzerland, and all those bakeries and cafes she seemed to know so well. She had huge affection for her family, but always took great interest in ours, too, remembering minute details of what the kids were doing.

A different speed

Carol’s running became legendary in these parts as the years went on, not so much for her speed, but for her determination in knocking off marathon after marathon despite the cancer and treatment ravaging her body. I’d run into her and see this or that part of her body bruised or bandaged, and it would turn out not to be from cancer treatment, but from her falling during a long training run.

She’d often take on an apologetic tone for being “so slow,” but eventually talked about coming to terms with being a fast walker. She was spurred on by her dozens of running friends, as well as members of her family who ran alongside her at marathons and other races. She completed a series of tough races, including the New York City Marathon, just this past fall.

While my work schedule didn’t allow me to join in many of her Friday morning runs, which commonly involved stops at local shops for photo ops, themed costumes (St. Patrick’s Day, Halloween, etc.), and fancy treat-fests at her anything-but-sterile Wellesley home at the end, I did make it to a few as one of the rare guys on hand.

This is where Carol’s running generosity could be seen, as she mentored budding marathoners as well as couch-to-5K runners. More importantly, she fostered a caring running community.

Many in town learned of Carol through the annual Thanksgiving morning Wellesley Turkey Trot she started that attracted thousands of runners and has raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for charitable causes, including research to cure metastatic breast cancer. When my wife, Deborah, spoke with Carol this past week, the Turkey Trot founder was still trying to figure out whether this fall’s race could go on in some fashion in light of the pandemic, as she hoped to raise funds that would go to the school system as well as the Wellesley COVID-19 Relief Fund.

Vintage Vogue, Wellesley — Carol in fashion at Vintage Vogue 2019 (Photo credit: John Mottern)

Beyond the Turkey Trot, Carol raised more money to fund cancer research through her own marathon running, and more still through her annual Vintage Vogue Runway for Research fashion show at which Carol strutted her stuff. Friends who otherwise would never have gone near a fashion show donned the latest styles and hit the catwalk. Hey, she got people to wear full body turkey costumes at the Turkey Trot, too.

Carol’s fashion powers knew no bounds. We’ve seen celebrities like Prince own one color, like purple. But Carol owned both neon pink and orange, as anyone spotting her and Amin walking their pups can attest.

Carol rocked the pink this past February at the Think Beyond Pink basketball doubleheader at Wellesley High School, where she and WHS grad Harry Clark, who recently passed away, inspired patrons to donate funds to their causes.

That was actually the last time I had the chance to sit and chat with Carol at a sports event. Even though her sickness and treatments had weakened her physically, her spirit remained strong. We swapped updates on our families, our health, and of course, running. Just like old friends do.

Our condolences go out to Amin and the entire Chaoui family, as well as to Carol’s many friends.

Visiting hours will be held at the George F. Doherty & Sons Funeral Home, 477 Washington St., (Rt.16) in Wellesley on Thursday, Aug. 6 from 4-8pm. Relatives and friends are invited. A private funeral service will be held on Friday, Aug. 7.

You can show your support for Carol in donating to: Dana Farber Cancer Institute, Division of Philanthropy, 10 Brookline Place West 6th floor, Brookline, MA 02445-7226, Memo: Carol Chaoui’s Superhero MBC Fund, http://danafarber.jimmyfund.org/goto/teamwonderwoman , as well as BCRF, C/O Rebecca Wasserman, 28 West 44th St., Suite 609 NYC, NY 10036.

July 6, 2020 by Bob Brown 9 Comments

We were saddened to learn this weekend that Harry Clark, the 2019 Wellesley High School graduate who inspiringly crossed the commencement stage on his own after losing his sight from a rare brain tumor, had passed away at the age of 20.

The Wellesley resident, who suffered a stroke in February, had been in and out of surgery and rehab since, and died on July 3. He is survived by his mother Eunice Groark, father Kevin Clark, and sister Phoebe Clark, a WHS student.

Harry packed a ton into his short life—a life altered at the age of 5 when he was diagnosed with a rare brain tumor called craniopharyngioma, for which he received years of treatment at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. His life was altered again in third grade, when he suffered a stroke after which he had to relearn walking and talking. Harry’s vision had been compromised by his tumor and cyst, but he lost his sight completely during a family trip to New York in November of his senior year in high school. He still managed to graduate with honors.

Harry was slated to attend Providence College this fall, where he intended to study to become a child psychologist. He spent time this past year at Assumption College gaining skills needed to navigate the college world and beyond as a blind person.

Working around medical appointments, Harry took part in a seemingly endless list of activities in and out of school, as documented in a Wellesley Townsman profile and WBZ TV-4 segment following his high school graduation.

He sang and taught at his church, joined Key Club and served as sophomore class vice president at Wellesley High, and landed a spot on the Youth in Philanthropy board. Harry cycled the Pan-Mass Challenge with his parents on tandem bikes. He spent time with friends made back at Sprague Elementary School and all along the way.

Taking part in all this involved juggling schedules along with countless medical appointments by Harry, his family, and support network.

Perhaps his most visible activity was that of team manager for the Wellesley High girls’ basketball team throughout his time at the school. In February, funds raised at a Think Beyond Pink doubleheader between the Wellesley and Natick boys’ and girls’ basketball teams went in part to the the Cranio Warrior Research Fund addressing craniopharyngioma on Harry’s behalf.

In fact, I happened to be sitting right behind Harry during the girls’ game. Whenever anything exciting happened he’d accidentally poke me with his cane, then quickly turn around and apologize. At one point I told him, “Don’t worry about it, it’s your night.”

Girls basketball team coach Glen Magpiong says that’s “a classic Harry story. He would always tell me he was sorry for something. It was a running joke between us. I kept telling him never tell me you’re sorry again, he would laugh and say ‘I know.’

Magpiong met Harry when he was in a youth basketball program as a kindergartner or first grader.

“I knew he was a special boy when I first met him,” Magpiong says. “He was the toughest kid I ever met. He was a brave warrior who always had a great attitude and an infectious smile, despite the many challenges he faced. He and his family positively impacted so many lives with their incredible faith and hope.”

Harry earned a standing ovation at Raider Pride Night in 2019 when he received the Coach Seaver Memorial Scholarship Award for courage commitment and loyalty. People were up on there feet when he received the Helen Stewart Service to Others Award that Spring, too, at the Senior Awards Banquet.

harry clark award

Diane Zinck, secretary to the principal at Wellesley High, can’t recall when Harry started coming into the Main Office for visits. “It just feels like he was there from the beginning,” she says. The Main Office staff dubbed him “The Mayor,” as he not only stopped there, but had other visits along his route.

“Harry would come in at the end of his day to wait for his mom and family dog, Clover to pick him up. He was our break in the crazy day, we would all stop what we were doing to circle around him to talk, laugh, sing and dance (yes, we danced). Harry’s repertoire of lyrics and 80s music was incredible, better than Spotify. As busy as dismissal gets, we all made it back to be with Harry, he was a giant force that pulled us all together,” she says.

The staff all took turns walking him out, and when in his junior year he volunteered at Newton-Wellesley Hospital and was picked up by an Uber driver, “we would make sure the driver knew they had a very important passenger.”

Harry impressed Zinck with how hard he worked learning to navigate hallways and stairs alongside a specialist during his senior year as his sight declined. “His mom would remind us that Harry needs to walk out on his own when she arrives to get him to strengthen his skills. What I didn’t have the heart to tell his mom was, we all fought to walk him out, all of us, we had to take turns so everyone got the privilege of helping HIM.”

Zinck has reflected in recent days on the fact that Harry wanted to be a doctor. “Harry made rounds like a doctor does, checking in with his friends as they were his patients daily… When you were not there, out sick or just having a crappy day, Harry was most concerned. He would follow up with you to make sure you were okay, like a doctor, with an extraordinary genuine manner that made you feel better.’

While Harry made the rounds at school—and more than his fair share of medical facilities—he wasn’t shy about taking part in special programs for kids with serious illnesses either.

This included the Paul Newman-founded Hole in the Wall Gang camp, Waypoint Adventure (where he was accepted into a leaders-in-training program) and the WEEI Jimmy Fund Radio-Telethon.

During his colorful interview with WEEI, we learned about Harry’s competitive card playing and trash talking side, among other things.

He was also on hand at Fenway Park for legendary New York Yankees pitcher Mariano Rivera’s farewell tour. They came away mutually inspired upon meeting, with Harry vowing to become a Rivera fan despite the pinstripes and Rivera calling the 13-year-old Red Sox fan “Just a beautiful boy.”

Similar sentiments are being shared on social media by those who knew and were inspired by Harry.

Says WHS’s Zinck: “Our hearts are heavy with the physical loss of our hero. Yet at the same time, they are full with Harry’s strength and courage as he leaves an indelible mark on our lives. Our love to the Clark family for sharing him with all of us, we are far better, kinder and empathetic people for knowing him.”

The family is having a private service and that will be followed by a broader celebration of Harry’s life in the fall. Here’s a formal obituary for Henry “Harry” William Harry Clark.

April 26, 2020 by Bob Brown Leave a Comment

We like to think we’re on top of things in Wellesley at The Swellesley Report, but every so often we come across news after the fact that makes us realize so much has gone on and does go on in town that we’re oblivious to. Like other media entities, we’re often drawn to those who seek attention, not necessarily those who deserve it.

Reading the obituary of Dr. A. Karim Khudairi, a longtime Wellesley resident who passed away earlier this month at the age of 95, reminded us of this.

We’ve been in touch with two of Dr. Khudairi’s daughters, Sue and Sally, over the years. Their Dorset Cafe (now the site of CrepeBerry on Washington Street) started up not long after Swellesley did. But we weren’t really aware of the impact their parents have had on the town until we read Dr. Khudairi’s obituary.

He took full advantage of a long life that began in Iraq and ended here, 50 years after he became an American citizen. He was a scientist, teacher and entrepreneurial businessman whose areas of expertise spanned from poultry to tomato plants. A lifelong learner, Dr. Khudairi took part in Zoom calls via an iPhone in his final days.

His teachings went beyond science and into religion. Described in his obituary as “An unstoppable force in helping advance the Muslim community in America,” Dr. Khudairi became a sought-after spokesman regarding Islamic issues, including after the 9/11 terrorist attacks. He played a key role in urging Wellesley to represent Jewish and Muslim community members with the illuminated menorah and crescent on the Town Hall lawn alongside the Christmas tree. Both he and wife Sajida (past president) have been active with World of Wellesley over the years, and Dr. Khudairi made his influence felt through numerous other Wellesley organizations and campaigns, including those of historical significance in town.

We cannot do justice to Dr. Khudair’s legacy here, but his family is attempting to do so via the A. Karim Khudairi Foundation, a not-for-profit organization that will raise awareness, fund scholarships, and support events that promote education and interfaith initiatives.

Wellesley Town Hall, holidays

April 6, 2020 by Bob Brown 6 Comments

Patrons of Lisa James Salon in Wellesley, as well as those who knew salon owner James Mortenson through other parts of his life, are mourning his death at the age of 58.

Mortenson on the company website is quoted as saying he had been a hairstylist since 1982 and planned “to continue styling hair indefinitely.” Let’s hope that is so.

Mortenson’s wife Lisa and the Lisa James Salon staff announced on the business’s Facebook page that:

It is with an extremely heavy heart that we announce our fearless leader, James Mortenson, passed away on Monday, March 30, at 58 years old.

Jim had the most vibrant soul that any of us have ever known.

He would light up any room he entered and left quite an impression on anyone who had the pleasure of knowing him

His passions in life were his wife Lisa and their three daughters, Tori, Bella and Juliette, his family, his salon, and of course, golf! He had the biggest heart any human could ever have, and the loyalty of his staff and clientele are proof of that.

To say Jim will be missed is an understatement, and although we are shocked and devastated that we will have to continue life without him, Lisa and the LJS team plan to keep Jim’s memory and legacy alive in the salon he worked so hard for over the past 31 years.

We will be continuing to provide updates here on our Facebook page, and please feel free to contact us if you have any questions. We thank you for your patience, loyalty and support as we deal with this tragic loss.

Funeral services will be private, but a celebration of his life will be held at a date to be determined.

A crowdfunding campaign has been launched to help the family during this difficult time.

lisa james salon lisa james rose

March 22, 2020 by Bob Brown Leave a Comment

Regardless of whether the deceased has passed from COVID-19, funeral homes have a much more delicate situation than usual in working with families during the coronavirus outbreak.

We reached out to Wellesley’s funeral homes to see how they are handling this.

Marianne Burke of Henry J. Burke & Sons Funeral Home wrote: “You are correct, the way in which we are serving our community in this time has been affected. Because of the social distancing practices and the restrictions placed on people gathering in groups over 10, traditional funerals have been put on hold.”

However, Burke Family Funeral Homes, which has locations in Wellesley and Newton, are still able to transfer loved ones who have passed to the funeral home. Cremations and burials with small graveside gatherings are still taking place.

“Many families are choosing to plan memorial services for later in the spring when things calm down. In the meantime, we are happy to answer any questions that families may have if they believe they will need our services in the near future,” Burke says. The funeral home has begun working with a local company to offer live streaming.

Those visiting the website for George F. Doherty & Sons Funeral Homes, which has locations in Wellesley and 3 other communities, will be greeted with a letter from the owners and staff that reads in part:

“Given the reality of the COVID-19 pandemic, it is important to know that funeral directors throughout Massachusetts are taking precautions to limit exposure to the coronavirus. We are still operating 24 hours a day, seven days a week making certain that those entrusted to our care and the families we serve are receiving uninterrupted service and attention, regardless of the cause of death…”

Doherty & Sons funeral directors are working with bereaved families “to create meaningful services that fall within the Governor’s emergency order of limiting large public gatherings.” One option to include those who can’t attend due to travel complications or crowd size limitations is a live-streamed funeral via a private YouTube account.

Both funeral homes offer online obituaries and guestbooks.

Perusing the obituaries, you’ll see somber and heartbreaking lines such as “Due to the current coronavirus concerns, services will be private,” and “Due to the increased concern over the Covid-19 virus, in an effort to keep people safe, the family respectfully decided to keep wake and funeral services private.”

The state and national funeral director trade associations have been on top of this situation as well, and have passed along guidance to “death care professionals.” One noteworthy development is that the Department of Homeland Security’s Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency has named mortuary workers as “critical infrastructure workers,” according to the Massachusetts Funeral Directors Association, that this group has called on the Commonwealth to follow suit if sheltering in place goes into effect.

The National Funeral Directors Association (NFDA) points to CDC guidance on funerals of those who have died of COVID-19: “There is currently no known risk associated with being in the same room at a funeral or visitation service with the body of someone who died of COVID-19.” However, the CDC also notes, “People should consider not touching the body of someone who has died of COVID-19.”

Currently, bodies of deceased who had COVID-19 can be buried or cremated, but the NFDA advises funeral directors to stay current on this.

More: Sustain Swellesley

« October 2020 »

December 27, 2019 by Bob Brown Leave a Comment

Thomas E. Lee marker — Lee Recreation Area is currently under serious renovation along Washington Street in Wellesley

I’ve seen the name Thomas E. Lee dozens or maybe hundreds of times on my way past the sports fields on Rte. 16 in Wellesley. There’s a marker on a stone right along the street bearing Lee’s name, and the softball field that’s currently undergoing reconstruction is named after him.

But I never really knew who Tom Lee was until I came across his obituary this past week. That’s when I learned about his many contributions to the town, and figured others in town would be interested in learning more about him, or remembering him.

Lee, who died in Bellingham at the age of 85 after battling ALS, served Wellesley proudly for many years. The Wellesley High grad and U.S. Marine Corps. veteran began his Wellesley town career as an engineer in the Department of Public Works, then spent 37 years as executive to the Board of Selectmen.

He was honored as Grand Marshal of the Wellesley Veterans’ Parade in 1994.

In 1997, the Lee Recreation Area was dedicated at a June ceremony from which we’ve embedded the program below. Rene Rancourt sang “America the Beautiful” and Lee’s daughter Michelle tossed out the first pitch before the first softball game at the new field. Lee at the time told the Wellesley Tab that he was surprised to be honored but glad the one-time snow dump would be used for sports.

Lee recreation area dedication — Lee Recreation Area dedication (photo courtesy of the Town of Wellesley)

Services for Lee have already been held. He is survived by children Thomas, Michelle and Timothy, as well as 2 grandchildren. We share our condolences with family and friends.

Download (PDF, Unknown)

More Wellesley obituaries