WESTERLY — Dawn M. LaFleur passed away peacefully on Monday, October 16, 2023 at the age 85, in the care of Hospice at Westerly Hospital surrounded by her loving family. Dawn was born in Middletown, Conn. on June 4, 1938, the daughter of late Thomas & Nell (Doyle) Finan. She attended Litchfield High School where she was a Championship Bowler in the CYO league, basketball and field hockey athlete. Dawn graduated from St. Francis Hospital School of Nursing in 1959, and received her Bachelor of Science from Northwestern Connecticut Community College in 1977. Her career started as an RN for many years at St. Francis Hospital, RN with Connecticut Visiting Nurse Services in Torrington, Conn., and School Nurse for the Jaffrey-Rindge, N.H. school district for 10 years. Dawn retired to Westerly and enjoyed the past 21 years with her late husband of 61 years, Deacon Carl Lafleur, where they embarked on some impressive sailing ventures and fully enjoyed the community and prized friendships within.
Dawn is survived by two wonderful children, daughter Susan LaFleur and her husband Alex Zemcov, son, Douglas M. LaFleur and his wife Teresa (Carey) LaFleur, and three grandchildren Rowan, Bridey and Maeve; as well as two treasured surrogate family members, Anna and Lynn Rossi. In addition to her immediate family, she leaves her siblings Thomas Finan and wife Mary Rose, Mary (Finan) Ferrier and husband Jim, Doyle Finan and family friend Karen Ferrier, as well as her brother-in-law David LaFleur and wife Eugenia. She also leaves behind many devoted nieces and nephews: Kelly Fuller, Brian Finan, Bill Finan, John Finan, Stacey O’Connor, Sara O’Brien, Jennifer LaFleur, Sarah LaFleur, Nora Johnson, Eugenia Murray-McGinnis, and Michael Murray; as well as great nieces and nephews.
A Mass of Christian burial was celebrated on Friday, Oct. 20 at St. Pius X Catholic Church, Westerly, with burial in Riverbend Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations to the Society of St. Vincent De Paul in honor of her late husband’s service and dedication to their organization. Donations to their local chapter can be mailed to: St. Vincent DePaul Society, P.O. Box 1014, Westerly, RI 02891. To learn more about the national mission of the St. Vincent de Paul Society, visit www.svdpusa.org.
