Obituary of Hilda M. (Sylvester) Thibodeau

Hilda M. (Sylvester) Thibodeau PEABODY — Hilda M. (Sylvester) Thibodeau, 89, died peacefully Tuesday, July 31, with her family by her side at Beverly Hospital following a short illness. Born on May 15, 1923, she was the daughter of the late Manuel Sylvester and the late Anna (Perry) Sylvester George. She lived in the Gardner Park neighborhood of Peabody for most of her life, and was a 1940 graduate of Peabody High School. Hilda was married to the late Harry Thibodeau for 46 years, until his death in 1988. During their life together Hilda and Harry were avid ballroom dancers who regularly attended dances throughout the North Shore area. As a widow, Hilda continued to enjoy dancing and traveling with her long-time companion, the late Salvatore “Sam” Marletta, of Beverly. Hilda’s other hobbies included knitting, sewing, oil painting, and playing cards with her friends at Peabody House, where she enjoyed living for the last several years of her life. She was a 10-year volunteer with the American Red Cross and knitted blankets for individuals and families in need for the organization’s “Warm Up America” campaign. She was also a parishioner at Our Lady of Fatima Catholic Church in Peabody. Hilda was predeceased by three brothers, George, John, and Joseph Sylvester, and two sisters, Vera Selvo and Dorothy Feener. She is survived by her daughter and son-in-law, Ruth Thibodeau and Richard Gendron of Peterborough, NH, and her son and daughter-in-law, Larry and Ellen Thibodeau of Bridgton, Maine and St. James City, Florida. She also leaves three grandchildren, four great-grandchildren, several nieces and nephews, and many dear friends. Relatives and friends are kindly invited to gather on Saturday August 4, 2012 at 8 AM from the Conway, Cahill-Brodeur Funeral Home, 82 Lynn St., Peabody, followed by a Funeral Mass at 9 AM in Our Lady of Fatima Church, Peabody. Visiting hours will be on Friday from 5 – 8 P.M. in the funeral home. Burial in Puritan Lawn Memorial Park, Peabody. Expressions of sympathy may be made in her name to North Shore Elder Services, 152 Sylvan Street, Danvers, MA 01923. Please visit www.ccbfuneral.com for online obit & sign condolences.