Joseph Raymond “Monk” Gendron, 98, of New Bedford passed away Monday, September 30, 2019 in St. Luke’s Hospital. He was the husband of the late Beverly (Trudelle) Gendron with whom he shared 53 years of marriage.
Born in New Bedford, a son of the late Joseph A. and Marie (Proulx) Gendron he was a lifelong city resident.
He was a communicant of St. Mary Church, New Bedford where he attended daily mass and was an usher and collector for many years.
Mr. Gendron served in the United States Army as a medic. His unit was in Normandy and the Battle of the Bulge to name a few. He was at Bergen Belsen Concentration Camp when it was liberated. He has many fond memories of the family he lived with in Luxembourg. They corresponded for many years after he returned to the states. He was a lifelong VFW Member. Five years ago, Joseph was honored with the Legion of Honor Medal. This is France's oldest and highest honor.
Joseph was employed by the City of New Bedford as a supervisor for many years, retiring in 1981. He was responsible for all the solid waste pick up and many 24-hour days and nights of supervising the snowplow drivers. If you wanted to know where a street or landmark was in New Bedford, all you had to do was ask him.
While his children were young, he provided the yard where all the neighborhood children wanted to play. Many evenings in the summer, after work, he’d take a carful of kids to Mary’s Pond where he’d sit and read the newspaper while they swam.
After he retired, he turned the playground into a garden. He enjoyed growing vegetables, fruits and flowers, canning and giving away the fruits of his labor. Every spring, he and Beverly would provide daffodils to anyone who stopped by.
He and his wife enjoyed their many camping trips from Canada to Indiana to Florida.
Affectionately known as Pepere to many, he dearly loved his children, grandchildren, great grandchildren and many foster grandchildren.
Even in his old age, he never lost his quick wit and sense of humor. He especially enjoyed teasing his CNA, Lori Sylvia. He will be missed dearly by all who knew him.
He is survived by two loving daughters, Jeanine Gawthrope and her husband Barry of Wrentham and Michelle Gendron and her husband Yahya Salim of New Bedford with whom he shared his home; nine grandchildren, Robert, Matthew, Jason, Jonathan, Christopher, Nicole, Laura, Katelyn, and Adam; eight great grandchildren; a brother, Roland Gendron of New Bedford; and many nieces and nephews.
He was the father of the late Raymond Gendron and the brother of the late Armand and Eleodore “Pete” Gendron, Lydia Goulet, Grace Lebeau, Jeannette Sylvia and Georgette Giroux.
His funeral will be Saturday, October 5, 2019 at 9 a.m. from the ROCK FUNERAL HOME, 1285 Ashley Blvd., New Bedford followed by a Mass of Christian Burial at 10 a.m. in St. Mary’s Church, 343 Tarkiln Hill Rd., New Bedford. Burial will follow in Pine Grove Cemetery, New Bedford. Visitation will be Friday 4-7 p.m. For directions/online tribute www.rock-funeralhome.com.
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