Permelia Josephine (Cournoyer) Henrickson, 94, of Holden, died peacefully at home on Monday, December 3, 2012. Born December 11, 1917 in Montreal, PQ, Canada, Permelia was one of eight children, the daughter of Hector and Leah (Berard) Cournoyer and lived her earliest years in Worcester and 86 years in Holden.

     In 1941, she married John F. Henrickson of Worcester at St. Mary’s Parish in Jefferson. Later they joined the newly formed St. George Church in Worcester where they remained as members for life.

     Permelia attended the Unionville School in Holden, graduated from Holden High School and continued her studies at Becker College. She worked at the Bell Company in Worcester where she met John, her husband. She spent many of the years of World War II alone with her infant son while John served in Europe. She, as did many women of that era, endured the challenges of being a young bride and mother during the difficult war years. Following the war she and John, by themselves, built their home on Bullard Street where they raised their family. She lived in that home for the rest of her life.

     Following her career as mom to a young and sometimes unruly brood she resumed her professional career, first for the American Heart Association , then as an administrative assistant at Anna Maria College and finally for many years in the tax assessor’s office for the Town of Holden. Following retirement, she and John enjoyed traveling. She was an excellent cook and a gifted homemaker. Family events were always accompanied by her wonderful desserts. Permelia was also a very talented seamstress, knitter and artist. In her later years, declining health took its toll but she lived as she wanted to in the home where she had built so many good memories. She will be missed by all who knew and loved her.

     John, her husband of 58 years, died in 1999. She leaves five children and their families: William and Jacqueline Henrickson of New London, CT, Charles Henrickson of Sterling, Janette and John Orchard of Whitefish Bay, WI, David and Marion Henrickson of Abbeville, MS and John and Irene Henrickson of Emerald Isle, NC. She leaves 13 grandchildren, 26 great grandchildren and a great-great granddaughter; and her sisters, Bernice Faneuf of Holden and Loretta Ballotte of Niantic, CT. She was predeceased by her five brothers, Alfred, Leonard, Rafael, Bernard and Henry Cournoyer.

     Relatives and friends are invited to attend calling hours from 6 to 8 p.m. on Thursday, December 6, at the Miles Funeral Home, 1158 Main St., Holden. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 10 a.m. on Friday, December 7, at St. George Church, 38 Brattle St., Worcester. Interment will follow at Worcester County Memorial Park, 217 Richards Ave., Paxton. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Permelia’s name to the American Heart Association , 20 Speen St., Framingham, MA 01701, www.heart.org or the Wounded Warrior Project, P.O. Box 758517, Topeka, KS 66675, www.woundedwarriorproject.org.