Robert J. “Bob” Fournier, 80, Owned Fournier’s Donut Shop

bob_fournierRobert J. “Bob” Fournier, 80, of Groveland, and a former resident of Wheeler Avenue, Haverhill, died July 22 ith his family by his side following a period of declining health at Merrimack Valley Hospice House.

Fournier, who celebrated his 80th birthdayJuly 11, was born in Lawrence, son of the late Albert C. and Blanche (LaMoine) Fournier. He attended St. Anne’s School and the Mount Carmel School before the family moved to Haverhill, where he attended St. Joseph Grammar School and graduated from St. James High School with the class of 1954. He later attended the Andover Institute of Business. Fournier was employed as a young man at the well-known family business, Fournier’s Donut Shop in Haverhill and was also the owner of Fournier’s Donut Shop in Lawrence. He worked for many years as an office manager and bookkeeper and later data processor for Walter Hughes Construction and the Hughes House Extended Care Facility, as well as for several manufacturing companies including General Tire, Burlington Industries and Baird Inc. He was a member of All Saints Parish and the former St. Joseph Parish, where he served as a lector and cantor, and was a member of the Parish Choir, the Liturgy Committee of the Parish Council, and finance committee of St. Joseph School. Fournier also established the Explorer Post and served as the post’s first leader. Moving to Groveland in 2007, he was a former member of the Groveland Town Finance Committee and the Pentucket Regional School Board. An avid Red Sox and Patriots fan, Fournier enjoyed flower and vegetable gardening, singing, bowling, and golf.

He leaves his wife of 60 years, Therese L. (Dupont) Fournier; two sons and a daughter-in-law, John R. and Caroline Fournier of Atkinson, N.H., and Peter R. Fournier of Bedford; daughters and sons-in-law, Anne T. Kussad of North Andover, Marie B. and Frederick Whitton of Haverhill, Lucy E. and Kevin Landry of Atkinson, N.H., Linda M. Dow of Haverhill, and Joan M. and Daniel Florent of Hampton, N.H.; brother, J. Gerard Fournier of Kansas City, Mo.; three sisters, Rita Thompson of Hampstead, N.H., Lucille Kemp of Groveland and Claire Desmarais of Hampstead, N.H.; 13 grandchildren, Kimberly, Jennifer, Jason, Gregory, Rebecca, Stacey, Christopher, Erik, Janelle, Emily, Zachary, Jack and Cassandra; and several nieces, nephews, and cousins. He was predeceased by brothers, Paul Albert Fournier, Normand Fournier, Henry Fournier, Joseph Fournier and Richard Fournier, and sisters, Helene Beier, and Louise Howland.

Relatives and friends are invited to attend Fournier’s Life Celebration Tuesday, July 26, from 4 to 7 p.m. at Berube-Comeau Funeral Home, 47 Broadway, Haverhill. His funeral begins Wednesday, 9 a.m., from the funeral home with a Mass of Christian Burial at 10 a.m. in All Saints Church. Burial  follows in St. Joseph Cemetery, Haverhill. Memorial donations may be made to the St. Vincent DePaul Society of All Saints Parish, 120 Bellevue Ave., Haverhill, MA 01832 or to St. Joseph School of All Saints Parish, 56 Oak Terrace, Haverhill, MA 01832.