Ersilia Natalia Kendrick passed from this earth at her home on August 30th surrounded and forever loved by her children.  Born December 25, 1924, in Avalino, Italy, she was the daughter of the late Dominic and Jenoveffa (Cella) Santoro.  She leaves behind her children, Linda Sjostedt of Wendell, NC., Jean Hale and her husband Michael of Taunton, MA, Howard (Ken) Kendrick, Jr. of Ashland, MA and Maria Kayes and her husband Maurice of Milford, MA.  She was also preceded in death by her daughter Cherie Witkus, formerly of Kissimmee, FL.  Ersilia treasured her grandchildren, "her boys" Steven, Glen, Brian, Jason and David as well as "her girls" Annie and Sarah. She also had three great-grandchildren - Andy, Emily, and Amber, as well as many nieces and nephews.

Ersilia and her parents immigrated to the U.S. at the tender age of 3 along with her sisters Mary Antonowich and Josephine Walsh - both deceased. Her other siblings are Lilly Sherren of E. Bridgewater, Jenny Ripley of Lowell, and Roseanne Alongi of Billerica.  She was a World War II veteran and received her honorable discharge from the Navy in 1945.  Prior to entering the Navy, she worked in the Charlestown Navy yard preparing ships for war. While she held many jobs during her lifetime, she especially loved her work as an LPN working at Glover Hospital and the Briarwood Nursing Home in Needham working as a Charge Nurse and Supervisor on the night shift until her retirement at the age of 72.

A funeral service will be held Friday Sept. 2nd at 12:00 PM in the Chapel of the Matarese Funeral Home, 325 Main St. in Ashland with burial to follow in Wildwood Cemetery in Ashland. One calling hour will be held Friday from 11:00-12:00 prior to the service.