Age 27. 55 Warren Street, West Medford (Medford), MA. Born 10/27/1915, in Medford. Died on 11/29/1942 (Sunday), of burns (death certificate). Waitress at Thompson's Spa, Boston. "She was employed...for the last eight or nine years and was well known to the patrons of the spa in Newspaper Row, where her father, a general contractor, was also widely known" (The Boston Globe, 11/30/1942). One of eleven to perish in an ill-fated main dining room gathering of 12 to honor victim Pvt. Henry T. Fitzgerald, U.S. Army, age 30, of Wilmington, MA, home from Florida on holiday furlough. Among those killed were three non-military older brothers of Pvt. Fitzgerald: John, age 41, James, age 38, and Wilfred, age 32. Few known details of their final moments were provided by a lone party survivor, Pvt. Robert Horrigan, U.S. Army, age 29 (Born 10/04/1913. Died 5/09/1997, age 83), of Turners Falls (Montague), MA. Pvt. Horrigan related the group dined at the nearby Parker House hotel, had just arrived at the Grove when the fire broke. Had been seated and served drinks, but had not yet touched them. Revealed by Pvt. Horrigan to the 11/29/1967 Greenfield Recorder, Greenfield, MA, that their table was located (quote), "...near the dance floor and opposite the bar..." Said he heard a "loud commotion," thought there was a fight then saw a "ball of fire" shoot across the wall near the Caricature bar. Her remains were transported to Northern Mortuary, Boston. Was a graduate of Medford High School in 1934. Was single. Was a lifelong resident of Medford. One of seven Grove victims from the nearby city of Medford (also Mr. and Mrs. Timothy and Margaret Feeny, ages 34 and 33, Alonzo Hearne, Jr., age 24, Norman Paré, age 25, William Young, age 36, and party companion Mrs. Margaret Stewart, age 25, all patrons). Parents Mr. and Mrs. Harry H. and Margaret E. "Mary" (Currie) Preble, same address. Burial at Oak Grove Cemetery, West Medford. One of 12 fire casualties interred at Oak Grove Cemetery. Middle name Irene.

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