Jack Cuthbert

Jack W. Cuthbert, 90, formerly of Bedford, Mass. and Bridgton, passed peacefully surrounded by loved ones on Tuesday, May 12, 2015.

Jack was born in Arizona in 1924, son of Elizabeth and Carson Cuthbert and raised and schooled in Chicago, Ill. After graduating from high school in 1941, Jack enrolled in Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) in Troy, N.Y. His education was interrupted when he was drafted in 1942, and served four years in the Army as a Signal Corpsman, earning the rank as Master Sergeant. Jack’s service in the military brought him to Burma and India. After his honorable discharge in 1946, Jack returned to RPI and completed his bachelor’s degree in Metallurgy Sciences in the Class of 1949.

In 1954, he married Eleanor (Rogers) after meeting her at a college mixer in Troy, N.Y., where she was a nursing student at The College of St. Rose. In the early years of their marriage, they lived on the Rogers family farm in Schylerville, N.Y., where their first son, John was born and in Boston where Jack was a graduate student at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Taking a position at Hughes Aircraft, the family moved to Los Angeles, Calif., where three daughters, Maryellen, Elizabeth and Catherine (Casey) were born. The family returned to the East Coast, living in Pennsylvania, Connecticut and New York, finally settling in Bedford, Mass. as the family expanded to include sons Ean, Evan and Jay and daughter Alison.

Jack worked as an engineer for EG&G and Kennecott Copper (Ledgemont Laboratories) before founding Magnetometric Devices Incorporated in Methuen, Mass., where he remained in the position of president until his retirement.

Jack and Eleanor and their family made their home in Bedford, Mass. for over 30 years before moving to Bridgton full-time in 1995, where they enjoyed pontoon boat rides on Moose Pond, fireworks over Pleasant Mountain on the Fourth of July and family visits. Jack became active in the Bridgton and Fryeburg communities of St. Joseph and St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Churches, and Cumberland County Prison Ministries. He also volunteered at the senior center assisting area residents with their taxes.

Jack and Eleanor enjoyed traveling the world including trips to Africa, Russia, Ireland, Europe, Jamaica, Israel, Italy and South America. He spoke often of special trips to Alaska, Peru and along the Appalachian Mountain Trail accompanying his children.

Jack’s legacy was his commitment to family and the lesson of the importance of education that he instilled in his children. He always opined that education “was one’s ticket to life.” Through his hard work, he was proud that he and Eleanor were able to help provide the opportunity of advanced education to all his children.

Jack was predeceased by his wife of 58 years, Eleanor; father, Carson and mother, Elizabeth; and son, John.

Surviving Jack are his children; Maryellen of Chelmsford, Mass., Elizabeth Cote of Denmark, Catherine Allman, of Newburyport, Mass., Ean of Edwards, Ill., Alison of Maine, Evan of Braintree, Mass. and Jay of Windham; several nieces and nephews; and was the cherished “Papa” of 17 grandchildren and a great-grandchild.

Calling hours will be held on Thursday, May 21 at St. Michael’s Church, 90 Concord Road, Bedford, Mass. from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. followed by an 11 a.m. funeral Mass of Christian burial.

At the family’s request, in lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Veterans Program, Compassionate Care Hospice, 800 W. Cummings Pk, #3100, Woburn, MA 01801.

Full obituary, directions, and guestbook at www.BlakeFuneralHome.com Blake Funeral Home, Chelmsford, Mass.