Mariana W. Morse, 91, a longtime resident of Bradford, passed away peacefully on Thursday, July 12.
Born in South Milwaukee, Wis. on April 14, 1927, Morse was the daughter of the late Spencer and Margaret (Gorham) Westberg. She earned a degree as a registered nurse and worked at Fitzgerald Mercy Hospital in Philadelphia until getting married and moving to Haverhill.
Widowed at an early age, she raised five children on her own, cared for her mother and aged in-laws, and involved herself in many community projects and organizations, all while building and maintaining a successful career. From the mid-1970s to the 1980s she sold real estate, eventually establishing her own business, Mariana W. Morse Realty, in Bradford. She was then appointed as an assessor for the City of Haverhill and served until her retirement in 1994.
As a well-known and popular member of the community, she was often approached to join several civic and community groups and she quipped “my only talent was saying yes.” She could be invariably counted on to do so with humor and grace. Her community activities included: trustee of the Haverhill Public library, president of the Friends of the Haverhill Public Library, president of the Realtors of Haverhill, president of the Whittier Club, member of the Haverhill Historical Commission, president of the Haverhill Day Nursery, director of the Merrimack Valley United Fund, and board member of both the Haverhill Girls Club and the Stevens-Bennett Home.
In 2006, she received the D. Raymond Taffe Memorial Award for her contributions to the community over 50 years. She always felt that the greatest reward “…was meeting so many wonderful people on all these committees and projects.”
She also belonged to both the Hosford Club and the Leisure Hour Club and was a dedicated bridge player. She enjoyed learning new things, reading (especially murder mysteries), traveling, hosting parties and family trips to Popham Beach, Maine.
Morse was predeceased by her husband, Charles H. Morse Jr,. who passed away in 1973.
She is survived by her children Anthony T. Morse and his wife Ann of Staunton, Va., Leigh A. Batruk and her husband Sigmund of New York, N.Y., Charles H. Morse III and his wife Susanne of Haverhill, Kristin S. Morse of San Francisco, Calif., and Jeffrey G. Morse and his partner April Aucoin of Bradford, and her granddaughter, Abigail W. Morse of Haverhill.
Relatives and friends are invited to her calling hours on Friday, July 27 from 5-8 p.m. at the H.L. Farmer and Sons Bradford Funeral Home, 210 South Main St., Bradford. Her funeral will be held Saturday, July 28, starting at 10 a.m. at the funeral home, followed by a Funeral Mass of Christian Burial at 11 a.m. at Sacred Hearts Church, 165 South Main St., Bradford. Burial will follow in Elmwood Cemetery, Bradford.
Memorial contributions may be made in her name to the Haverhill Public Library, 99 Main St., Haverhill MA, 01830.