John "Jack" Joseph Lorden Jr.

John “Jack” Joseph Lorden Jr., 78, of Groton, passed away peacefully at home surrounded by his family on May 7, 2019, as a result of complications related to Inclusion Body Myositis, a degenerative muscle disease he bravely battled for 20 years.

If you are wondering if you have ever met him, then you probably didn’t because you would have remembered!

Jack was born on March 26, 1941, in Nashua, New Hampshire to John and Florence (Clee) Lorden. He is survived by his wife (Jean), three children (Diana, Michele, and John), son-in-law Scott, daughter-in-law Desiree, eight grandchildren (Ryan, Kathryn, Caroline, Michael, Lauren, Callum, Jack, and Anna), and three sisters (Kathie Long, Judy Lillis, and Nancee Whitkin).

He grew up in Pepperell and graduated from Lawrence Academy in 1959 and Saint Anselm College in 1963 with a degree in Economics.

While working for the Department of Labor in 1963, he met Elizabeth Jean Peterman, the love of his life. They were married on December 4th and this past year they celebrated their 54th wedding anniversary.

After being drafted by and serving for the United States Army in Germany, he later returned to Pepperell to work with his father at Lorden Trucking Company. Jack and Jean began a family while he attended Boston College School of Law where he graduated in 1969. Jack opened his own law firm in Ayer and later moved his practice to Harvard.

He was a president of the Ayer Rotary, a part-time land developer, a member of the Saint Joseph parish council and the Massachusetts Bar Association, and proudly has the distinction of being the last Ice Man in Pepperell.

Jack enjoyed spending time with family and friends, telling and hearing jokes, watching his grandchildren grow, following local sports teams, spending time by the ocean, and traveling while tracking down his Irish heritage.

In lieu of flowers, please raise a glass to Jack and consider making a donation in his memory to The Myositis Association, at www.myositis.org/donate/

LORDEN - John "Jack" Jr., of Groton, formerly of Pepperell. May 6, 2019. Relatives and friends are respectfully invited to attend a Mass of Christian Burial at Our Lady of Grace Parish worshipping at St. Joseph's Church, 28 Tarbell St., Pepperell, MA on Monday, May 13 at 11 AM. Interment will follow in St. Joseph's Cemetery, Pepperell. A visitation period will be held in the church prior to Mass, from 10 AM to 11 AM.