Noel Svendsen, skier, engineer; 77

LITTLETON -- Noel Arthur Svendsen of Littleton, an engineer and avid ski er, died July 20 in a car crash on Route 11 in Sunapee, N.H. He was 77.

Mr. Svendsen was raised in North Attleborough. He earned an engineering degree from Northeastern University.

Mr. Svendsen served in the Army in the 1950s, spending most of his military career in Germany, and was on the Army ski team.

He worked as an engineer for Arthur D. Little Inc. in Cambridge for 18 years. Mr. Svendsen had previously worked at Laitram Corp. in New Orleans and Digicourse in Marblehead.

Having previously lived in Bedford, Mr. Svendsen resided in Littleton for the past 20 years.

Mr. Svendsen continued his passion for skiing, as a member of the ski patrol at Mount Sunapee in Newbury, N.H. He was active with the North Attleborough High School alumni and was a former counselor at the YMCA camp in Winthrop, Maine.

Mr. Svendsen leaves two daughters, Ingrid Thorn of Aalborg, Denmark, and Natalie Wicks of Bedford; two sons, Kurt of West Hartford, Conn., and Dana of Methuen; his former wife, Janice E. (Bennett) Svendsen of Bedford; a brother, Fred of Brewster; 10 grandchildren; and his longtime companion, Margaret Nangle of Leominster.

A funeral service was to be held yesterday in St. Paul's Episcopal Church in Bedford.

Blanche Berger, 88, professional harpist

BURLINGTON -- Blanche K. (Krell) Berger of Burlington, a professional harpist, died July 22. She was 88.

Mrs. Berger was born, raised, and educated in Detroit. After receiving a bachelor of science degree in music from the University of Miami, Mrs. Berger moved to New York in 1942, where she and her husband raised their family and she began her career as a professional harpist. She played for the NBC Symphony Orchestra and was the harpist on the early television series ``Firestone Hour." Mrs. Berger also played harp for the Ray Block Orchestra, which supported such television celebrities as Jackie Gleason and Milton Berle.

She moved to Boston in 1985, and became a member of the Woburn City Band, in which she played for over 20 years.

Mrs. Berger was the wife of the late Alfred S. Berger.

She leaves two daughters, Anne Berger Small of Woburn and Carolyn Webb of New York; a son, Joseph Berger of Thomasville, Ga.; a sister, Marilyn Rollinger of Bloomfield Hills, Mich.; four grandchildren; and a great-grandson.

A funeral service was held July 24 at the Edward V. Sullivan Funeral Home in Burlington. Burial was in King David Cemetery in Putnam Valley, N.Y.

Joseph Monks, WW II veteran; 83

WOBURN -- Joseph B. Monks Sr., a longtime resident of East Woburn and decorated veteran of World War II, died July 20 in Danvers. He was 83.

Born in Wakefield, Mr. Monks was raised in Wakefield and Stoneham. After graduating from Stoneham High School, he entered the Army. As a glider pilot during World War II, he was part of the D-Day invasion at Normandy. Mr. Monks was awarded the European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal with five bronze stars, a Distinguished Unit Badge, an Air Medal with three oak leaf clusters, and a Bronze Arrowhead.

After the war, Mr. Monks worked as a milkman for Sunnyhurst Farms in Woburn. He later was employed by Woburn Public Works in the water department.

Mr. Monks held membership in the VFW and American Legion. He marched in the Memorial Day and Veterans Day parades in Woburn every year.

Mr. Monks was the husband of the late Hazel P. (LeBlanc) Monks, who died in 1997.

He leaves five sons, Joseph B. Jr. of Mansfield and John W., David R., Michael P., and Thomas K., all of Woburn; two daughters, Deborah A. Urquhart of Windham, N.H., and MaryBeth Nasr of LaGrangeville, N.Y.; and 13 grandchildren.

A funeral Mass was said July 22 in St. Joseph Church in Woburn. Burial was in the Soldier's Lot at Woodbrook Cemetery, Woburn.

Gary Willman, 55; gas station owner

PELHAM, N.H. -- Gary A. Willman, a longtime resident of Pelham and owner of a gas station, died of a heart attack July 19 at Lowell General Hospital in Lowell, Mass. He was 55.

Mr. Willman was born in Lowell , where he graduated high school with the class of 1969.

After serving in the Air Force during the Vietnam War, he worked for the Belmont Springs Water Co. for over 20 years. Mr. Willman was the owner of the Getty gas station in Pelham for the past several years.

Mr. Willman enjoyed golfing, and held membership in the VFW Post 10722 and the American Legion Post 100, both in Pelham.

He was the husband of Joanne ``Jody" Willman, to whom he was married for over 25 years.

In addition to his wife, Mr. Willman leaves two daughters, Ashley of Pelham and Cortney L. Spurger of Plano, Texas; and a brother, Scott of Barnet, Vt.

A funeral service was held July 24 at St. Kathryn Parish, Hudson.