Shrewsbury – Dolores Elizabeth (Gomes) Fleming, 89, formerly of Palmer, passed away peacefully at her home in Shrewsbury on Dec. 15, 2020.
Dolores, known to most as Lorrie, was born Oct. 12, 1931 in Ware, to parents Emma R. (Girouard) Gomes and Lionel Gomes. She grew up in West Warren, where she attended St. Thomas Parochial School. She later attended and graduated from Warren High School, where she met her future husband, John (Jack) L. Fleming.
Following high school, she attended Becker Jr. College in Worcester, where she earned an Associate Degree. She loved her time there and frequently reminisced about it, especially about her four roommates, who stayed close friends for the remainder of their lives.
Lorrie and Jack were married May 10, 1952 at St. Thomas church in West Warren while Jack was on a two-week leave from the Navy. Following a brief separation while Jack returned to service in Maryland, Lorrie spent the next few years, as a military wife, moving around the country from Jacksonville, to Memphis and finally landing in San Diego, Calif., where Lorrie was employed in a civil service position as a secretary by both the Marines and the Navy.
Following Jack’s discharge from the Navy in 1956, they returned home to Massachusetts, building a home, and settling in Palmer, MA, where they remained until 2012, at which point they moved to their in-law apartment in Shrewsbury, joining their daughter, son-in-law, and granddaughter.
Before starting a family, Lorrie worked locally for several more years as a secretary, a career that she was particularly adept at with excellent typing, shorthand, organizational and interpersonal skills. She put her career on hold in 1961 to be a stay-at-home mother and homemaker but returned to the workforce in the 1970’s as an executive secretary until retiring from Rathbone Precision Metals.
Lorrie prided herself in keeping a meticulous and well-appointed home. Her life centered around her husband, daughter, son-in-law, and granddaughter. In her free time, Lorrie enjoyed socializing with her many neighbors and friends, many of whom she and Jack had known since childhood. She was known for her sense of humor and ability to make people laugh.
For countless years, summer vacations were spent with their circle of friends, travelling together up and down the east and south coasts, to include trips to Hilton Head, Myrtle Beach, Marco and Sanibel Islands, Nashville, and New Orleans. In later years, she planned and enjoyed vacationing with her family on Cape Cod and the Maine coast and most recently, she enjoyed taking walks around the neighborhood or sitting in her porch rocker, visiting with neighbors, and meeting all passersby.
Lorrie’s free time was also spent pursuing her interest in Finance. She subscribed to several financial publications and enjoyed learning as much as possible about investments and financial/estate planning. Lorrie enjoyed music, dancing, and attending theatre productions in Worcester and Boston. She also enjoyed and took time to appreciate nature – especially the ocean. She loved New England, particularly in the fall, often commenting that she would never want to live anywhere else.
Lorrie is survived by her beloved husband, John L. Fleming; daughter Leslie and her husband Robert (Bob) Kenney; and much adored granddaughter, Jacqueline Kenney, all of Shrewsbury.
Services will be private.
In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital; Notre Dame Health Care / Hospice of Worcester, 555 Plantation St.; any food bank, to aid the very many made food insecure by the Covid-19 pandemic or any Alzheimer’s research/prevention facility of your choice.
