Obituaries

OBIT: Jorge Fernandes, 79, Proud of His Portuguese Heritage, Loved to Travel & Cook

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Jorge Fernandes

Jorge Fernandes of Watertown died on Jan. 13, 2022 at the age of 79. Son of the Joao & Madelena (Encarnacao Memdes) Fernandes. Beloved wife of the late Ana (Soares) Fernandes. Dear brother of Lurdes Furtado, Americo Fernandes, Joe Fernandes, and the late Rosa DePaulo & Fernando Fernandes. Loving uncle to many nephews, nieces, grand nephews and grand nieces. 

Jorge was born in Madeira, Portugal.

Around Town

LETTER: Former Watertown Middle School Teacher Looks to Heal, Rebuild Relationships in Spirit of MLK Jr.

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The following letter was written to you, my Watertown community, almost a year ago. It was written upon Watertown News’ request for a statement from me on March 5th, 2021. As an employee of the Watertown Public Schools, I was not permitted to make such a statement at any time over the past year. Having now resigned from WPS, I would love the opportunity to share my thoughts with you and hopefully work towards some healing and rebuilding of the fractured relationships that last year’s incidents engendered. I can’t think of a better time to do this than Martin Luther King Day 2022.

Environment

Watertown Group Joining Other Communities for Webinar Focusing on Green New Deal

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The following announcement was provided by Watertown Facing Climate Change:

The Watertown Facing Climate Change committee is working with other local communities to support state legislation. You can become more informed and take collective action by joining us on the “Bring the Green New Deal Home Actionar.” (An actionar is like a webinar but with action). You can participate on either days: 

Monday, Jan. 17 at 7 p.m. https://350mass.betterfutureproject.org/bringing_the_green_new_deal_home_actionar, or

Tuesday, Jan.

Obituaries

OBIT: Dr. John Spillane, Worked at McLean Hospital, Sang in Choirs at Churches in Watertown & Newton

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Dr. John Spillane

Dr. John Joseph Brendan “Jack” Spillane, beloved husband, father and grandfather, died Thursday, January 13th at his home in Watertown. 

He was the devoted husband of Michaela K. (Sheehan) Spillane.  Loving father of Mary T. Spillane of Watertown, Melissa A. Gnyp & her husband David of Charlotte, NC, and Stephanie M. Spillane of Watertown. Doting grandfather of Annabelle Spillane and Madeleine Gnyp.  Son of the late Paul and Theresa (Curtain) Spillane and brother of the late Paul Spillane and Eleanor Roop. Caring brother- in-law of Elizabeth (Sheehan) Casey of Nashua, NH. He was also survived by many nieces, nephews, grandnieces and grandnephews. 

John was born in Lowell. He attended Keith Academy and was a graduate of Harvard College and Harvard Medical School. He served in the U.S. Naval Reserve Medical Corp. He completed a residency in Pediatrics at Cleveland Metropolitan General Hospital, and residencies in Psychiatry at Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston Veterans Hospital and McLean Hospital. He was an attending physician at McLean, serving as Director of Admissions from 1978-1993. Having majored in the history and literature of France before turning to medicine, he had a life-long interest in history and spoke French, German and Spanish. He loved music, and was a long-time member of the choirs at St.

Aging

Watertown Studio Hosting Free Online Yoga and Aging Panel Discussion

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The following information was provided by Artemis Yoga:

A collective of nationally celebrated yoga experts today announced the launch of an online interactive workshop series focused on yoga and aging. The series, sponsored by Watertown-based Artemis Yoga, brings together the combined experiences of four of the nation’s premier instructors to showcase the value of yoga in aging gracefully with health, strength and resilience. Yoga and Aging: Cultivating Resilience launches on January 23, 2022, with a free livestream panel discussion followed by four paid workshops hosted by yoga experts Roni Brissette, David Goldblatt, Karin Stephan, and Patricia Walden. Rahel Wasserfall of Artemis Yoga will moderate the January livestream discussion and provide “learning labs” between each workshop. (There is no obligation to do the paid workshops if you attend the panel discussion).

Entertainment

COMICS: Hockey Related Adventures for Small Saves & Here’s Trouble

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James DeMarco grew up in Watertown and became a goaltender at age 5. It’s his life’s passion to stand between the pipes and keep the puck out of the net. Combining this with the love of cartooning Small Saves emerged in 1991 and took on a life of his own. “To play goal–then come home and draw Small Saves — is my ideal definition of a good day.”

DeMarco recently added “Here’s Trouble” to his cartooning lineup, inspired by drawings he did in the 1980s when he was in high school.

Around Town

LETTER: A Fitting Way to Honor Watertown’s Retiring Library Director

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Watertown Free Public LibraryThe Watertown Free Public Library. A Fitting Tribute To A Local Superstar

After 27 years, Leone Cole, Our Library Director is Retiring, Here’s An Idea to Thank Her for Her Service to Watertown

Dear Watertown,

Under Leone’s innovative and forward-thinking leadership, our library has become the heart of our community – welcoming, serving, and educating people of all ages and from all walks of life, through even the most challenging of times. Our library has had such a positive influence − in ways we can only begin to imagine − on the lives of so many who have entered that building on 123 Main Street. Book groups, films, music, our History Room, research assistance, the Hatch Makerspace, storytelling, community talks/events, Project Literacy, the Library of Things, courses in finance, exercise, citizenship, and more have brought our community together. As many residents of Newton, Belmont, and Waltham will tell you, our library is their library of choice.