PLAINVILLE – Natalie E. Rammel, 89, a lifelong resident of Plainville passed away early Saturday, November 27, 2021 at Madonna Manor Nursing Home in North Attleboro.
Born November 4, 1932 in Barnstable, she was a daughter of the late Austin and Esther (Forsberg) Grant.
Natalie was valedictorian of the 1950 class at Plainville High School and in 1978 received an associate degree in criminal justice from Dean College in Franklin and graduated from the Massachusetts State Police Academy in Framingham.
From 1958 until 1972, she owned and operated Lorilin Nursery School in Plainville at a time when there was no public kindergarten.
In 1972 she joined the Plainville Police Department as a patrolwoman and dispatcher, the first woman in the department’s history. In 1977 she was a founding member of the NCRP, the Norfolk County Rape Unit, working with the DA’s office in Dedham, testifying over 50 times in District Courts and Superior Courts in the county.
In January 1979 Natalie moved to Patrolwoman at the Capitol in Boston and was assigned to one of the six State Buildings at Government Center working investigations, crowd control and traffic. She moved to the Mansfield Police Department as a patrolwoman working overnight shifts for two years from 1980 – 1982 and also frequently spoke at Rape Awareness programs in the town as well as other area towns.
Natalie was active in the Massachusetts Juvenile Police Officer’s Association, serving in various leadership roles from treasurer and president and many other professional organizations.
She was a founder and charter member of Kappa Sigma Chapter of Sigma Phi Gamma International sorority where she served as president three times and chaired many events. She was President of the Plainville Elementary PTA from 1969-1970 and devoted time as a Brownie Leader, Girl Scout Leader and Cadet Leader. She was a longtime member of the United Way board of directors and a board member of Registrars in the Town of Plainville.
Natalie was the 2012 recipient of the North Attleboro/Plainville Distinguished Service Award for Senior Citizen and helped plan Plainville’s 75th and 100th town anniversaries. She was a longtime member of the Plainville Council of Aging, serving as council chairwoman and took care of shut-ins and driving seniors to appointments.
Natalie was a longtime devoted member of the Plainville United Methodist Church and loved creating ceramics.
She is survived by her three daughters: Lauren Austin (Michael) of North Attleboro, Linda Kelleher (Patrick) of Buzzards Bay and Trisha Birkbeck (Lawrence III) of Attleboro;
Siblings: Richard Grant of Sun City, FL and Marcia Pariseau (Ed) of North Attleboro;
Grandchildren: Brianne, Patrick Jr., Kevin, Daniel and Stephanie;
Great grandchildren: Callie, Jaxson, Keegan, Declan, Kinsley, Kolby and Brooklynn; and several nieces and nephews.
She was sister of the late John Grant.
Visiting hours will be held at the funeral home on Wednesday, December 1 from 4-7 p.m. A funeral Service will be held at Plainville United Methodist Church, 16 East Bacon Street on Thursday, December 2 at 11 a.m. followed by burial at Plainville Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Living Bread Food Pantry at PUMC, 16 East Bacon Street, Plainville, MA 02762.
The family would like to thank the staff at Madonna Manor Nursing Home for the excellent care she received during her illness.