M. Gloria Rivard, 82, of Francis Street in Claremont, NH, passed away on November 21, 2009 at her home surrounded by her family after a two year battle with peritoneal disease/ovarian cancer.

She was a native and life long resident of Claremont, NH, born on May 23, 1927 the daughter of Hyacinthe and Alice (Dubois) Joyal.  She was a graduate of St Mary’s High School in the Class of 1945.  Gloria retired in 1996 from the Claremont School System where she worked as a Para- Professional for twenty-three years and had previously worked after high school at the Daily Eagle for seven years in the circulation department.

The surviving family includes her husband, Matthew A. Rivard of Claremont whom she married on June 26, 1950;  three daughters, Antoinette “Toni” Drouart and her husband, Eric of Nashua, NH,  Catherine “Cathi” Rivard and her husband, Konstantin “Nick” Bakal of Simsbury, CT and Patricia  “Patti” Dorman and her husband, Galen of Caribou, ME;  five grand-children; three great-grandchildren;  two brothers, Maurice W. Joyal and his wife, Paulette of Acton, MA and Rene R. Joyal and his wife, Beverly of Nashua; also nieces, nephews and cousins. 

A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated Wednesday, Nov. 25^th  at Eleven-Thirty AM in St Mary’s Church with Brother Rev. Paul Demers, of Nashua, a close friend, officiating.

Interment will follow in St Mary’s Cemetery.  

There are no visiting hours.

In lieu of flowers, Gloria requested that donations be sent in her memory to Hospice of Connecticut Valley Home Care, 958 John Stark Highway, Newport, NH 03773 or that Masses be said in her memory at St Mary’s or St Joseph Churches in Claremont.