DOVER Larry Boudreau describes herself as having lived “a charmed life.”

“I have enjoyed everything about my life,” she said during a recent phone interview.

A parishioner at Most Precious Blood parish in Dover, Boudreau was born to a devout Catholic family in Philadelphia and given the seeds of her faith by her mother, a “sensational lady who, although she had to put up with a lot in her life was always firm in her faith.”

As a young child, Boudreau was taught by the Sisters of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, an upbringing she reflects on with great love.

“I would attribute my life; I would attribute my faith; I would attribute my personality to the nuns,” she said. “Everything I am today I owe to them.”

In 1963, then a 29-year-old, she married Francis Boudreau, an obstetrician who just recently retired as chairman of the Obstetrics Department at St. Elizabeth Hospital in Brighton, and they began to raise a family. Their family would ultimately be made up of nine children.

“There’s nothing like having children,” she mused. “I never had any time to think about getting old.”

“I still don’t I guess,” she added with a laugh.

In 1976, the Boudreau family moved to Dover, where they immediately became parishioners at Most Precious Blood parish.

“Before we even moved here, one of the first people we spoke to was the pastor--then it was Father McNulty I believe,” she recalled.

Although she admits it was not easy to be actively involved on committees while her children were young, Boudreau did spend some time as a member of the parish choir. Today, Boudreau, 74, is part of the Facilities Maintenance and Renovation Committee, a group that both oversees the church grounds and is busy planning renovations that will be made on the parish, and she is also one of five “flower ladies.”

“Oh it’s great fun--we get to keep the altar looking nice and full of flowers for special parish ceremonies,” she described zealously. “There’s nothing nicer than looking at the altar during special occasions such as Easter, and seeing it just beautifully decorated.”

Boudreau praised her pastor, Father John Grimes, noting that “just to describe Father Grimes you have to go into superlatives.”

“He is one of the friendliest, most gentle, intellectual, enthusiastic, welcoming, wonderful people I have ever known,” she exclaimed.

According to Boudreau, Father Grimes “wears many hats,” teaching at St. John’s Seminary, serving as pastor at Most Precious Blood, as well as being involved in the Saint James Society.

“He brings all these facets of his life to us,” she said, “and because of this, he attracts many young families, which makes our parish very vital.”

This vitality is evident in every aspect of the parish, she continued, noting that “the parish runs wonderfully” because of the involvement of the entire parish family.

Boudreau noted that “young people are very active” in the parish as well, something that she admits is not very common anymore.

“My heart aches for people who don’t have a relationship with their God, who don’t know of him,” she said. “Faith is what takes you through the good times and the bad. Without my faith, I don’t know what life would be like. I can’t imagine life without it.”

“I have been blessed in my life--I really have had a wonderful life and a marvelous husband. That’s why I said I feel like I’ve led a charmed life.”

Most Precious Blood, Dover

Year Established - 1959

Pastor Father John Grimes

Religious Education Directors - Ann Carroll, Regina O’Connor

Business Manager - Anne Mangini

Organists - John Zadroga,

Louise O’Leary

Cantor - Debra Honor