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Lois Marie Byrd Petrich, 84

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Lois Marie Byrd Petrich, 84, of Hopkinton, passed away unexpectedly at Metrowest Medical Center on Thursday, April 16, 2015. She was born in Houston, Texas on January 22, 1931, to Juel Byrd and Thelma Thompson. Lois married Glenn Petrich on July 24, 1948; they lived in several cities due to his military career before settling in Tomball, Texas and eventually divorcing in 1976. She was diagnosed with colon cancer in 1967 and defied the odds by beating her cancer. Lois served as a bookkeeper for her brother Kenneth’s tax assessment business for many years before retiring in 2003. In 2005, she moved to Maryland to live with her daughter Carolyn, and she relocated to Hopkinton with the family in 2013. Lois was an avid reader and amazing baker who enjoyed preparing treats for her extended family and thankfully passed on many of her recipes. She was a wonderful, strong woman who adored her grandchildren and great-grandchildren and will be greatly missed.

Surviving Lois are her three children, Linda Skinner and her husband Travis of Magnolia, Texas, David Petrich of Corpus Christi, Texas, and Carolyn Hyman and her husband Mark of Hopkinton, six grandchildren, Aaron Walters of Houston, Texas, Josh Walters of Waller, Texas, Rachel Westfall of Magnolia, Texas, Brian Petrich of Asheville, North Carolina, Jennifer Petrich of Morganton, North Carolina and Michael Hyman of Hopkinton, six great-grandchildren, Jacob, Lucas, Brody and Brooks Walters, Taeana Taylor and Mahra Davis, her brother Kenneth Byrd of Hurst, Texas, her dear nephews Don Gressett of Houston, Texas, Doug Gressett and his wife Cindy of Flower Mound, Texas and Rusty Gressett and his wife Maria of Cypress, Texas, her former son-in-law Roger Westfall, her longtime next-door neighbor and cousin of her former husband Allan Petrich and his wife Beth of Tomball, Texas, and many nieces, nephews and cousins. Lois was predeceased by her sisters Ruby Mitchell, Patricia Pelata, Shirley Schneider, Phyllis Gressett and Gayle Mulkey, her brother Arthur Byrd, and her former husband.

The family thanks the staff and residents of Countryside Nursing Home of Framingham for their care and friendship in Lois’ final months. Arrangements are in the care of Chesmore Funeral Home of Hopkinton. www.ChesmoreFuneralHome.com A memorial service will be held in Houston, Texas at a later date.