Dr. Glenda D. Ouellette

Dr. Glenda D. Ouellette of Nashua, 71, died on January 1, 2021 at the Largo Medical Center in Largo, Florida after contracting Covid-19.

Glenda leaves her husband, Dr. Richard G. Ouellette, with whom she recently celebrated 37 years of marriage, and her children, Peter McLaughlin of Milford and Dr. Kathleen McLaughlin of Lowell, Mass.

Glenda was raised by her parents Francis and Lillian Dubay in Erving, Mass. before embarking on a lifetime as an educator, earning her bachelors, masters and doctorate in education from Lowell State College, the University of Lowell and UMass Lowell (as she noted, perfectly timed to ensure each degree was conferred by a different institution).

She taught throughout the area, working as a reading specialist in the Lowell, Hudson and Chelmsford Public Schools, before turning late in her career to training the next generation of teachers as an education professor at Fitchburg State College, from which she retired as a full professor. Glenda had also previously taught at Keith Hall in Lowell and Middlesex Community College.

Whether it was teaching a young student to read, helping an adult learn the English language, or mentoring a student teacher, Glenda left her mark on thousands of students in the area. Acutely aware of the transformative power that education had in her own life, Glenda encouraged everyone she met to further their education. Her family has been overwhelmed to hear from all of the people that she has helped along the way and takes great comfort in knowing that she touched so many.

In addition to her immediate family, Glenda is survived by her grandchildren, Jillian McLaughlin of Milford, and John and Julia Soucy of Lowell; her sister and brother-in-law Terry and Richard Berube of Largo, Fla.; her brothers and sisters-in-law Francis and Leigh Dubay of Deerfield, Mass., Jeffrey and Rita Dubay of Erving, Mass., and Mark and Connie Dubay of Kona, Hawaii; her in-laws, Catherine McLaughlin, Nathan Soucy, David and Katherine Ouellette, Anne Marie and Walter Marcella, John and Donna Ouellette, and Katherine O’Dowd; and many nieces and nephews.

A celebration of Glenda’s life will be held when it is safe for friends and family to gather. Throughout her retirement, Glenda worked to provide underprivileged children with quality books to read. It was a cause very dear to her heart, and her family requests that any donations be made to the Dr. Glenda Ouellette Children’s Book Fund, 11 Dumerle St., Lowell, MA 01851.