Evelyn L. Wolenty

Evelyn Lee (Murphy) Wolenty, 96, of Gardner, passed away on Wednesday, January 31, 2024, at Heywood Hospital in Gardner.

Born in Leominster on January 25, 1928, Evelyn was the daughter of the late Alton E. and Winnie E. (Corkum) Murphy. She attended Leominster High School and graduated with the class of 1945. Shortly after that, she met her husband, Peter, while working for the Red Cross at Fort Devens, and the two were married in 1949. After their military travels across the U.S., Evelyn and Peter settled in southern California. Here is where she held many secretarial and administrative positions including with the Rotary Club, the Chamber of Commerce, and San Clemente Hospital. Upon retirement, Evelyn and Peter felt drawn to move north and explore Oregon. Eventually, in 1997, they would return home to Massachusetts to be closer to family, rally with old friends, and, best of all, watch their granddaughters grow to adulthood.

Evelyn enjoyed traveling, reading, attending luncheons with her friends, and baking for her family, friends, and church events. She also had a passion for volunteering, was a member of the Soroptimist International Group and the Business & Professional Women’s Foundation, and served several Episcopal parishes. Most recently, she was a congregant of St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Gardner. There, she used her talents to be involved in the publishing of the monthly newsletter and creating crafts and baked goods for the holidays. She was a member of the choir and the prayer chain and served as a Lay Eucharistic Minister.

Evelyn is survived by her daughter, Janice Wolenty-Jones of Gardner; granddaughters, Audrey Jones and her partner Chris Phillips of Sterling and Elizabeth Jones of New Orleans, Louisiana; her great-grandson, Callen Phillips; her sister-in-law, Diane Murphy of Chico, California; many nieces and nephews of the Murphy, Lamarche, and Knoll families and their spouses; and the Rickerd Family of Gresham, Oregon.

Besides her parents, Evelyn was predeceased by her husband of 71 years, Peter J. Wolenty, Jr., who died in 2021; her sister, Sandra I. Gagnon, and her brother, David F. Murphy.

Evelyn’s family would like to thank all of her friends and neighbors for the generosity and kindness shown to her, especially these past few years. Your phone calls, visits, and rides to appointments have been greatly appreciated by us all.

Funeral services will be held on Saturday, February 17, 2024, at 1:00 p.m.at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, 79 Cross Street, Gardner, MA 01440. A private burial will be held at the Massachusetts Veterans Memorial Cemetery, 111 Glenallen Street, Winchendon, MA.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, 79 Cross Street, Gardner, MA 01440. Please reference the memory of Evelyn Wolenty.