Madeline M. (Lanza) L'Ecuyer

Madeline (Lanza) L’Ecuyer (93 years) – a lifelong resident of Leominster, MA - passed away peacefully on Friday, February 20, 2026, at Sterling Village. Madeline was born on July 10, 1932, to Frank and Eva (Celli) Lanza. A parishioner at St. Anna’s Catholic Church, she is survived by a large network of family, friends and local residents whom she knew all her life. Her husband, Arthur (Leon) L’Ecuyer, passed in 1971, and she will be interred with him at St. Leo’s Cemetery.    

Madeline is survived by her sister, Barbara Lanza of Leominster, MA; her son Richard and his wife, Caryl, of Leominster; daughter, Lee Ann of Kensington, NH; sons, Mark and his wife, Kim, of Harvard, MA; Brian and his partner, Steven Landau, of Las Vegas, NV; John and his wife, Jan, of Wheeling, WV; daughters-in-law, Leah Hocking of New York City and Susan L’Ecuyer of Macon, GA; many cousins; and her dear sister-in-law, Eleanor L'Ecuyer of Lakeland, FL.

She was preceded in death by her sister, Angela Mason and Angela’s husband, Eugene, of El Paso, TX; her brother, Frank (Inky) Lanza, and Frank’s wife Barbara of Leominster; two sons, David (Macon, GA) and James (NYC); and grandson, Kenneth. 

Madeline took great pride in being a Noni to her 14 grandchildren (John, Karen, Keith, Kevin, Mabel, Benjamin, Kelsey, Natalie, Allison, Lauren, Madeline, Katherine, and Caroline), as well as to 8 great grandchildren (Elizabeth, Taylor, Eli, Ziva, James, Zachary, Everett and Mattison). She also leaves behind, to celebrate her life, 8 nieces, 2 nephews, and an extended Italian family - she was fiercely proud of her Italian heritage, spanning 5 generations in Leominster and her place in its community.  

Raising and educating seven children through the Leominster public school system, as a widow during the 1970s and 1980s, she was very active with Babe Ruth, Pop Warner, Little League, Lassie League Softball, LHS sports, as well as supporting her children in musical endeavors and the theater arts. Madeline worked at Foster Grant Corporation and Merchants National Bank before retirement. After retiring, she volunteered at the Leominster voting polls, traveled, enjoyed her friends and was keenly involved in the wide-ranging activities of her grandchildren. The diverse and varied interest of her children, and their friends, created a very busy household, to which she welcomed and embraced throughout her life.  

The family wishes to express its gratitude to the “village” known as Leominster that raised this strong woman and the Sterling Village staff who supported her through her final days.  She was genuinely proud to be from Leominster.  

Calling Hours will be held on Monday, March 9, 2026, from 4:00PM to 7:00PM at Richardson Funeral Home, 106 West St. Leominster, MA. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated Tuesday, March 10, 2026 at 11:00 AM at Saint Anna’s Church, 213 Lancaster St, Leominster, MA. Burial will be at a later date in the Spring 2026.

In lieu of flowers, please consider a memorial contribution to Saint Jude Children’s Research Hospital (stjude.org) or The ALS Association (als.org/support/states/Massachusetts).

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Madeline M. (Lanza) L'Ecuyer, please visit our floral store.