Lauretta (Proulx) Woodbury

Ancestors

Daughter of Eugene Joseph Proulx and Anna Jeanne (Canuel) Proulx

Descendants

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Biography

Lauretta, nicknamed "Frenchy", was born on Oct 6,1917 in Danvers MA to Anna Canuel and Eugene Proulx. She was the youngest of five children. She had two brothers, Eugene and Edward, and two sisters Irene and Jeanne and alot of relatives, many who spoke French. She graduated from high school and wanted to go to college and become a teacher, but her parents wanted her to go to beauty school, which she did. She became a hairdresser, which she didn't like, however the skill came in handy when it came to family haircuts. She loved to drive and drove her parents to and from places while she lived with them.

Lauretta volunteered for, and was trained for the Army Airforce AWS, as a plane spotter during WWII. "The Aircraft Warning Service (AWS) was a civilian service of the United States Army Ground Observer Corps instated during World War II to keep watch for enemy planes entering American airspace." [1]

Lauretta lived in the same house her father and grandfather built in Danvers in 1908 until she was 28. At that time a 28 year old unmarried woman was called a spinster, which she did not appreciate. She accepted a marriage proposal from a penpal Willard (Woody) Woodbury, who lived in California. They married in Reno Nevada. She and Woody traveled extensively throughout the US, and lived in Forest Ranch, Stockton, Suisun CA and other places.

Lauretta was a devout Catholic, and went to mass every week with her children. She played the organ for the mass in Stockton. One Easter she made matching bright green church dresses/outfits for everyone, including our exchange student sister from New Zealand. She loved to sew, crochet and knit and she donated many baby hats and blankets to the hospital. The cookie jar was always filled (and re-filled) with chocolate chip, oatmeal raisin, and peanut butter cookies that she baked.

One of her favorite pet memories as transcribed by her daughter: Lauretta said. "I had a black and white Tom cat. He was a sweetheart. I taught him all kinds of tricks. I'd shoot him [pretend] and he would play dead. He could pray-put his front paws on my knee and put his head down. He's jump through my arms, like a hoop. He waited for me after school at the top of the hill and then race me home. He was a great cat. He was a stray too. His name was Tom." In the 70's she volunteered and worked with animals for the SPCA.

This is her obituary: "WOODBURY. Lauretta Anna (nee Proulx) was born to Anna [Canuel] and Joseph Proulx in Danvers, Massachusetts, on October 6, 1917. She died on September 12, 2017 at the age of 99 years and 11 months (just 24 days short of her 100th birthday!) Lauretta married Willard "Woody" Dana Woodbury in Reno, Nevada on May 15, 1944. After being pen pals for a while, she rode the train from Massachusetts to Nevada to meet him and married him five days later! They lived the remainder of their lives in California, but enjoyed traveling, especially to wherever the fishing was good. Lauretta was the mother of five children, and was preceded in death by her husband Willard and eldest son, Mark Francis. She is survived by her son David Woodbury, daughters Anita Bergh, Jeanne Woodbury, and Sandi Maurer, eight grandchildren, and four great-grandchildren. Lauretta was an exceptionally strong woman, was driving herself to St. James Catholic church in Petaluma at age 96, and for years knitted a blanket and a dozen wool hats each month for the newborns at Memorial Hospital in Santa Rosa. At 85, she said "I feel the best I've ever felt in my life. Sure I've got some aches and pains, but I feel terrific".

Her ashes were placed at the Forest Ranch Cemetery, California near where she and Woody lived when they first married.[2][3]

Sources

• recollections of her daughter Sandra.
• 1920 Danvers MA Census shows Loretta A Proulx youngest child with her family. Father: Eugene and mother Anna J, and siblings, who were: Jeanne Blanche; Irene Claudia; Edward; and Eugene.

[4]

• 1940 census Loretta Proulx 22 years old "beautician".
• DNA Match: 23nme SM predicted relationship to LO First cousin; * DNA Match: 23nme SM predicted relationship maternal side, to LO first cousin; BC 2nd cousin; and JH 3rd cousin.