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North Adams Transcript, Massachusetts, 26 Jul 1963
Mrs. Louis Bessette Dies in Adams, 80
Mrs. Ada (Montgomery) Bessette, 80, of 28 Prospect St., Adams, widow of Louis Bessette, died early this morning in Rest Haven Nursing Home, Adams, where she had been a patient for nearly two years.
She was born in Adams and was a life long resident of that town. She was formerly employed in the Jacquard Mill of the Renfrew Mfg. Co., then for years was housekeeper in the homes of the late James E. Cashin and Albert W. Jones. She retired several years ago.
She was a member of the First Baptist Church, Adams.
Survivors are a nephew, Harry Derosia of 79 West Main St., this city, whome she reared from infancy as a foster son, nine grandchildren and other nieces and nephews.
Funeral services are being planned for Monday afternoon in the A.C. Simmons Funeral Home, Adams. Burial will be in Bellevue Cemetery. Calling hours at the funeral home will be from 2 to 4 and 7 to afternoons and evenings tomorrow and Sunday.
Springfield Union, Massachusetts, Thursday, August 13, 1953
Adams
Gerald Bessette Reported Missing
Adams, Aug. 12 ? A tri-state police alrm went out tonight for Gerald Bessette, 40, of 28 Prospect St., reported here as missing since early morning. His wife, Geraldine, told police Bessette was apparently ill and had shown signs of despondency.
Members of the family say the local man left about 7 a.m. supposedly to attend his garden in Cheshire. State police learned that Bessette did not go to the garden. He was traveling n an automobile with Massachusetts plated 280-618.
Springfield Union, Massachusetts, Friday, August 14, 1953
Gerald Bessette, 40, Said To Be Despondent; Arm Cut
Adams, Aug. 13 ? A searching party of 30 volunteers, with local and state police, about 9.40 tonight found the body of Gerald Bessete, 40, of 28 Prospect St. lying approximately 300 feet from his automobile parked off East Rd. in the town of Windsor.
Indications were that he had severed an artery in his arm near the elbow. A jackknife lay nearby, according to police, who determined that Bessette had probably bled to death. Investigators say members of Bessette?s family reported him as having been ill and despondent.
Bessette had been missing from home since Wednesday when his wife, Geraldine, told police her husband left in the morning saying he was going to a garden plot in Cheshire. He never arrived at the garden. This started the sarch which ended tonight.
Word reached Adams early in the evening that East Windsor residents had discovered an abandoned car on a road leading to a dumpt a half mile from the Alan M. Limberg farm. M.R. Jacobs, a neighbor of the Limburgs,, notified state police at Pittsfield, who in turn communicated with local authorities saying that the keys were in the ignition of the Bessette car, identified by the registration.
Finding of the body ended an otherwise hopeful vigil by Bessette?s wife. The couple have four children and are among the town?s highly respected residents. Funeral arrangements for Mr. Bessette are incomplete.
The North Adams, Massachusetts Transcript, August 1953
Find Missing Man?s Body In Windsor
The search for Gerald L. Bessette, 40, of 28 Prospect street, who left his home Wedneday morning at 7 o?clock, came to an end last night at 9.45 o?clock when his lifeless body was found lying on the ground in a densely wooded section of East Windsor.
Had Been Despondent
An artery in the left arm near the elbow had been severed and a jackknife was found near the body. Medical Examiner Albert C. England of Pittsfield viewed the body at 10.30 o?clock and pronounced death due to bleeding from the artery. He called the wound self-inflicted. Dr. England express the opinion Mr. Bessette had been dead from eight to 24 hours when the body was discovered.
Mr. Bessette had been despondent because of ill health that had allowed him to work only three days at the Dewey & Almy Chemical company plant since his annual vacation last month.
When he left his home Wednesday morning he told his wife he was going to Cheshire to work in his garden there. When he failed to return home Wednesday night Mrs. Bessette notified the Adams police at 8 o?clock and an alarm was sent out over the state police teletype to police in eight states, giving his description and the registration numbers of his car in which he had driven away from his home.
Last night at 6.30 o?clock Mrs. Alan M. Limburg, whose husband is president of Alanson Products, Inc., which operates a wallpaper manufacturying plant on Grove street in Adams, telephoned the state police barracks from the Limburg residence at Windsor that an auto had been parkerd for some time just off East Windsor raod in that town.
Search Started
Trooper A. J. Sousa went to Windsor to investigate and, from the registration, deteremined that the car was Mr. Bessette?s. The keys were in the ignition and the windows were open. Trooper Sousa, assisted by two Windsor men, made a brief search in the immediate vicinity of the auto but to no avail ad then telephoned the Pittsfield barracks for assistance. The barracks got in contact with the Adams police and Windsor constables and auxiliary police from that town.
Chief Edward W. Reid and Patrolman Erdeski headed the Adams delegation. Others from Adams who were in the searching party, including fellow employes of Mr. Bessette at the Dewey & Almy plant; were: Peter Paciorek, Alton Cahoon, Jr., Armine Heinz, Donald Livesey, Harold Waterman, Franklin E. Crandall, George Clerc, Harold Bryant, Warren Robinson, Dixon H. Daniels and John T. Munn.
With the group numbering about 25, an intensive search was then started of the wooded area. It was Raymond Estes of Windsor who discovered the body about 300 feet from where the car had been left by Mr. Bessette. The Pittsfiels tate police barracks and the Adams police station then were notified. After Dr. England had viewed the body it was removed by Funeral Director Frank B. McBirde to his funeral home in Adams.
Adams Native
Mr. Bessette was born in Adams, a son of Mrs. Ada Bessette and the late Louis Bessette. He attended the Adams schools and was life-long resident.
He was a lift-truck operator for the Dewey & ALmy Chemical company by whom he had been employed since the concern started operations here several years ago. He was secretary and treasurer of Local 841, TWUA-CIO, at the plant and had been active in union affairs since the local was organized.
Besides his wife, the former Geraldine Kearns of Adams, and his mother who resides with them, he leaves foru children, Carolyn, Thomas, William and David, and a foster brother, Harry Derosia, all of Adams.
Funeral services consisting of a libera will be held Sunday afternoon at 1.30 o?clock at St. Thomas? church. Burial will be in Bellevue cemetery.
The body is at the McBride funeral home where calling hours willb e from 7 to 10 o?clock this evening, and from 2 to 5 and 7 to 10 o?clock tomorrow afternoon and evening.
A requiem mass will be said at 8 o?clock Monday morning at St. Thomas? church.
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Bassett Family Association Database
- 1953