Obituary

Theresa (St. Hilaire) (Desharnais) Champagne, 91, passed away peacefully on Friday January 1, 2021 surrounded by the love of her family and the many people who knew and loved her for her kindness, sweet personality, loving nature, and generosity.

Theresa was born in Lowell, MA on March 19, 1929, the daughter of the late Walter and Beatrice St. Hilaire and was a graduate of Lowell High School.

Theresa married Raymond Desharnais in 1951 and raised their family in Dracut, MA.  Following Raymond’s death in 1993, she later married Edward Champagne, also of Dracut. She greatly enjoyed working at Wood Abbott Jewelry in Lowell for many years.  She was a communicant of St. Francis Church in Dracut, where she was very active in the parish having served as greeter and an Extra Ordinary Minister of Holy Communion. She held membership with the Dracut Senior Citizen Club, The Senior Citizen Club of Centerville, The League of Catholic Women, and was an active member of the St. Francis Widow’s Club. In her later years, she split her residences between the east and west coasts living with her daughter-in-law Joyce, grandson John and his family during the summers in Billerica, Massachusetts.  She spent the winter months in Mission Viejo, California with her daughter, Lise and her family.  While in California, she was a parishioner of St. Kilian Church and was a member of the Council of Catholic Women.  She spent her last few years in Southern California, enjoying the warmth and sunshine.

Theresa was predeceased by her husbands Raymond Desharnais and Edward Champagne, and son Marc Desharnais. She is survived by her daughter Lise Busby and son-in-law David Busby of Mission Viejo, CA, her daughter-in-law Joyce MacQueen Desharnais of Nashua NH, grandson John Desharnais and his wife Alesha, of Moultonborough NH, granddaughter Allyson Lusic and her husband Rory of Virginia Beach, VA, and her grandson Michael Busby of Washington DC. She is also survived by two great-grandchildren, Matthew and Katelyn Desharnais, all of whom she loved very much.  She was also predeceased by her siblings: Marguerite Croteau of Dracut, Norman St. Hilaire of Dunstable, Arthur St. Hilaire of Dracut, and Marcel St. Hilaire of Methuen.

Due to State restrictions and Covid protocols, a private family funeral will be held at St. Kilian Church in Mission Viejo, California on Saturday 1/16/2021 at 10:00am Pacific Time.  The mass will be livestreamed with the link posted on oconnormortuary.com. A future memorial mass and Rite of Christian Burial will be held in Massachusetts -date to be determined.  In lieu of flowers, those who wish to remember Theresa can make a memorial donation with a check written to the Society of St. Vincent de Paul and mailed c/o St. Francis Parish, PO Box 609, Dracut, MA 01826; to the St. Francis Parish Building Fund at the same address; or to St Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital (stjude.org).  For guestbook information please also visit oconnormortuary.com.

Livestream Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=35Dr6oTBF9I