Bradford, MA:  Bertrand E. "Bert" Lacerte, 95, passed away December 13, 2020, at his home surrounded by his loving family.

Born, raised and educated in Haverhill, Bert was the son of the late Hormidas and Florida (Gagnon) Lacerte.  He enlisted in the United States Navy in 1942 and was proud to have served during World War II aboard the USS Dallas.

After the war, he came back to Haverhill and met his future wife, Helene A. Jesionowski, a widow with two sons.

In his early career, Bert was employed part time by both the Haverhill shoe industry and Haverhill Western Electric until he was offered a full time position at Western Electric, North Andover, which later came to be known as AT&T.  He retired from AT&T in 1988.

As a young father, he enjoyed playing sports with the children in the playground.  The neighborhood formed close friendships where fathers began planning neighborhood parties, baseball games and 4 ^th of July bonfires.  Bert also enjoyed candlepin bowling.  He bowled at City Alleys as well as St. Joseph's Bowling Lanes with the Western Electric league.

In his later years after retirement, Bert took up two new interests, golfing and billiards.  By the age of 75, he belonged to two amateur pool leagues, and in 2004, one of his APA leagues won the Massachusetts State Championship and was sent to Las Vegas, Nevada to participate in the 8-Ball National Team Championship.  He attributes his pool playing skill to the Marist Brothers at Saint Joseph's School who taught him 9-ball as a child.

Bert was predeceased by his wife, Helene A. (Oczkowski) (Jesionowski) Lacerte and sons, Richard S. Jesionowski, Sr. & Randolph J. Jesionowski, his brother, Roland R. Lacerte of Haverhill and three sisters, Beatrice R. DeVeau of Haverhill, Rita L. Comeau of Plaistow and Lucille Estes of Alabama.

He is survived by his children, Francis B. Lacerte and lifelong partner, Roberta M. Bradley, Emile B. Lacerte, Jr., JoAnn H. Lagasse and her husband, Stephen, his grandson, Andrew J. Krajeski and his fiancée, Emily Balkus and several nieces, nephews and friends.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the (VFW) Veterans of Foreign Wars Foundation, 406 West 34 ^th Street, Suite 920, Kansas City, MO 64111.

Relatives and friends may call on Friday, December 18, 2020, from 9 to 9:45A.M. at BERUBE-COMEAU Funeral Home, 47 Broadway, Haverhill, MA, following The Commonwealth of Massachusetts guidelines of wearing masks and social distancing.  A Mass of Christian Burial will follow at 10 AM at All Saints Church, Haverhill, following the same guidelines.  Burial with Navy military honors will follow at St. Joseph Cemetery, Haverhill. To send a message of condolence to the family or to share a cherished memory, please visit our website at www.berubecomeau.com .