Watertown/Benedicta – Linda M. (Sawyer) Bourque, 80, of Watertown, MA, passed away on Friday, May 5, 2023, at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston of Ovarian Cancer. Born October 27, 1942 in Houlton, Maine.
Linda or “Neenee” as she was lovingly referred, is survived by a daughter, Heidi L. Bourque and grandson, Nicholas Duffy Gleason, both of Northborough, MA; a brother, John Sawyer and his wife Celeste of Marlborough, MA; a sister, Sue Ouellette and her husband Whitey of Florida. Her nephews, Tracy Ouellette and his girlfriend Joy; John Sawyer and his wife Peggy; nieces, Lisa Coash and her husband Donnie, Dena Ouellette, Michelle Sabo and her husband Michael, and Andrea Zapata and her husband Jorge; 14 great nieces and nephews, including, Kurt Sawyer and fiancé Courtney; their son Ryan; Samantha and Paul Harpin; their daughter Emery; Shawn, Melissa and Danielle Bates; MeLinda and Coty Coffey and Dillon McCarthy and many friends and extended family members. She was predeceased by her sister Patricia McCarthy and nephew, Marcus Wayne McCarthy.
Daughter of the late John Stuart and Lillian (Duffy) Sawyer. She was raised in Stacyville Maine and graduated Valedictorian from Sherman High School.
Linda lived in Watertown, MA, where she raised her daughter Heidi and worked for Xerox Corporation for nearly 50 years as a sales executive. She enjoyed spending time with family. She was very active and attended many Boston sport’s games including the world series win on her birthday – 10/27/04. She loved investing in real estate, Bluegrass festivals, motorcycles, traveling, skiing, gardening, and playing Rugby. In 1976 she co-founded the Boston Women’s Rugby Club and continued playing for many years. She was always ready for a drink up (or two) and a St Patty’s Day pub crawl.
Linda’s love for animals started on the family farm. She always had cats and was extremely fond of her pet pig Harley. Harley became quite a controversial subject in the Town of Watertown, when her family petitioned to have bylaws changed allowing pigs as pets. This led to articles in the Boston Globe and Herald as well as an appearance on the Maury Povich Show.
In Linda’s memory please have all your female loved ones get the CA125 test done to help prevent this horrible disease from taking another woman’s life.
Calling Hours for Linda will be on Saturday, May 13, from 3 p.m. until 7 p.m. at MERCADANTE FUNERL HOME & CHAPEL, 370 Plantation Street, Worcester.
Her Funeral will be held in Maine on Thursday, May 18 at 10 a.m., in care of BOWERS FUNERAL HOME, with a funeral Mass at Saint Benedict’s Church, 1063 Benedicta Road, Benedicta, ME 04733. Interment will follow at the church cemetery.
To share condolences and memories online visit www.bowersfuneral.com.
