On the afternoon of Oct. 12, 2015, Adrian Raymond “Ray” Bergeron Jr., 81, passed away at Merrimack Valley Hospice House after a long battle with cancer, surrounded by his family.
Bergeron was born in Haverhill, Jan. 24, 1934, to Adrian Bergeron and Cecilia Gallant Bergeron. Other than a brief stay in Virginia as a youngster, he lived his entire life in Haverhill and was a graduate of Haverhill Trade School in 1952. He was a member of the Air Reserves for a short time before he began a 35-year-career at Western Electric where he retired as a supervisor of training. He is remembered fondly by his students who often stopped him around town years after the workshops and classes they enjoyed having with him.
Western Electric also served as the setting of where he met his wife of 61 years, Mary Catherine “Kay” Bergeron. After a Halloween proposal, Bergeron often joked that she held him to his holiday prank and the two were wed at St. James Church July 17, 1954. Ray and Kay had two children, Thomas “Tom” Bergeron of Los Angeles, Calif., and Maureen Vallieres of Haverhill.
He had a lifelong interest and enthusiasm for technology and had many CB and ham radios, computers with flight simulators, and was the rare member of his generation who avidly texted with his family. He combined his love of technology with his love of planes and served as ‘flight control’ for any family or friends who traveled by air. Through the use of flight trackers he followed flights until landing and notified loved ones when they arrived safely.
Holidays were warmer with his famous turkey and stuffing, and hearts were happier when he was building trains or Legos on the floor with his great grandchildren.
Bergeron was also grandfather to four granddaughters, Jessica Bergeron of Boston, Sam Bergeron of Los Angeles, Calif., Katherine Seaver of Danville, N.H. and Allyson Vallieres of Haverhill; and two great grandchildren, Jackson and Maggie Seaver. In addition to his wife, children, and grandchildren, he is survived by his daughter-in-law, Lois Harmon, his son-in-law, Michael Vallieres, grandson-in-law, Christopher Seaver and his brother Gerry Bergeron.
A small private service will be held with family. In lieu of flowers, the family encourages you to consider making a donation to the Merrimack Valley Hospice House, 360 North Avenue, Haverhill, MA 01830. Arrangements are under the direction of Berube-Comeau Funeral Home, 47 Broadway, Haverhill.