LYNN — Elva I. (Meere) Sewell, age 91, of Lynn, entered into eternal rest on Wednesday, July 19 surrounded by her loving family. Born in Framingham in 1925, she was the daughter of the late Michael and Irene (Palmer) Meere. Elva lived most of her life in Lynn. She also lived in Beverly and Peabody. Recently she made her home at the Lynn Home for the Elderly and her family would like to thank the staff for their kind compassionate and loving care.
She was the wife of the late Richard A. Sewell, who she shared 45 years of marriage with. She was a graduate of Lynn English High School, Class of 1944, and worked many years for the former Connelly’s Candy in Lynn. She worked at the Teamsters Local 42 Credit Union on Ford St. for many years. She also worked showing and selling homes for Palmer Realty. Elva loved the beach, the ocean and the sun and shared this love with her six children totting them to the beach from Norcross Terrace and back. She enjoyed bowling, knitting, traveling, playing cribbage and whist, and the challenge of a really good crossword puzzle. She enjoyed competing in the “Daily Jumble” with her husband and her daughter Gail. She was a voracious reader, often staying up all night to finish a book.
A breast cancer survivor, she was a volunteer for Care Dimensions (formerly Hospice of the North Shore), first in the mail room, and then at the Kaplan Family Hospice House for several years. She also volunteered at the former Crombie Street Shelter, now Life Bridge in Salem serving meals to the homeless and the transient population for several years. But her greatest joy was spending time with her family, always proud and joyous to welcome new members to her every growing family. Her life was one filled with love, happy and sad days, triumphs and tragedies, a true Matriarch, loving, strong, and always supportive.
She is survived by three daughters; Nancy J. Spiridis of Lynn, Joan E. Murphy and her partner, Tom Pelletier of Salem, and Gail S. Simpson and her husband Jim of San Diego, Calif.; nine grandchildren; Anthony and his partner Tiffany, Danny and his wife Vanessa, Ciara, Josh, Alice, Amy, Kelly, Elizabeth and Evan; 15 great-grandchildren; Kayla, Xavier, Alyssa, Elizabeth, Jonathan, Brandon, Landon, Adameus, Adacus, Alex, Mason, Evan, Jaida, Gia and Kayden; one great-great-grandchild, Aiden; as well as several nieces and nephews. She was the mother of the late Richard M. and Paul T. Sewell and Leslie A. Flynn; great-grandmother of the late Christopher Chase, and sister of the late John, Thomas and James Meere.
Service information: A visitation will be held on Wednesday from 9:30-10:30 a.m. in the SOLIMINE Funeral Home, 67 Ocean St. (Rt 1A), Lynn, followed by a memorial funeral mass at 11 a.m. in St. Pius V Church, Lynn. Burial will be in St. Joseph’s Cemetery, Lynn. Relatives and friends are respectfully invited. Those who prefer may make donations to Lynn Home for the Elderly Persons, 1 Atlantic Terrace, Lynn, MA 01902, Smile Train, PO Box 96231, Washington, D.C. 20090, or to Care Dimensions, 75 Sylvan St., Suite B-102, Danvers, MA 01923. Directions and guestbook at Solimine.com.