Willard Dawes Fessenden ^5382,5385

Springfield Union
Springfield, Massachusetts
Monday, October 11, 1982
p. 26

Willard Fessenden, 83, retired utility executive

Willard D. Fessenden, 83, of Hancock Street, Springfield, retired assistant treasurer of Western Massachusetts Electric Co., died Saturday in Baystate Medical Center, Wesson Unit.

Born in Springfield, he was a graduate of Technical High School and Northeastern University, Boston.

He retired from WEMCO in 1964.

He was one of the founders of the Pioneer Valley Chapter of Credit Unions in 1927 and served as president for many years.

He was director of the Credit Union League of Massachusetts for several years and assisted in organizing credit unions for 21 local businesses and industries.

He became a director of the Credit Union of WEMCO in 1925 and became treasurer of in 1927, serving at that position for 26 years, resigning in 1953.

He was a member of the National Office Management Association, the National Asssociation of Accountants, and the Rosewell Lee-Samuel Osgood Lodge of Masons.

He was a member of the Trinity Methodist Church.

His wife, the former Christina Nichols, died in 1972.

He leaves two daughters, Eunice Poole of Springfield and Elsie Stephens of Midland Park, N.J. and three grandchildren.

The funeral will be Tuesday at Dickinson-Streeter Funeral Home with burial in Hillcrest Park Cemetery.

Donations may be made to the Shriners' Hospital, Springfield, or Rockridge of Lauren Park, Northampton.

Willard married Christina Alberta Nichols in 1926 in Springfield, Hampden County, Massachusetts.¹⁰⁷⁸⁵ (Christina Alberta Nichols was born 29 November 1893 in Amherst, Hampshire County, Massachusetts,^10789,10790 died 9 September 1972 in Agawam, Hampden County, Massachusetts ^10789,10791 and was buried after 9 September 1972 in Springfield, Hampden County, Massachusetts at Hillcrest Park Cemetery ¹⁰⁷⁸⁹.)