Harry L. F. Houpis, an astronomy professor at Sierra College in Rocklin, Calif., died unexpectedly Aug. 20, 2008, at his home in Rocklin. He was 54.

Dr. Houpis joined the astronomy faculty in July 1997 and was the chairman of the astronomy department.

Margaret Edna (Creamer) Pero died Aug. 31, 2008, at St. Elizabeth’s Hospital after a brief illness. She was 84.

Mrs. Pero was born in Cambridge and was a lifelong resident. She was a homemaker.

David McClure Peters died Aug. 21, 2008, at the Chilton House in Cambridge. He was 87.

Mr. Peters was born in Boston and was a longtime resident of Cambridge. He graduated from Avon Old Farms School and the University of Massachusetts at Amherst in 1951.

Annette M. (McGonagle) Pihl died Aug. 28, 2008, at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston after a lengthy illness. She was 69.

Mrs. Pihl was born in Cambridge, daughter of the late Margaret (Puopolo) and Arthur McGonagle, and was a resident of Medford for the past 36 years, formerly of the North End of Boston. She had been a certified registered nurse of anesthesia at the Franciscan Hospital for Children in Brighton since 1982.

Edward F. “Ebel” Powers died at home Aug. 31, 2008, surrounded by his family, after a lengthy illness. He was 79.

Mr. Powers was born and raised in Cambridge and had been a resident of Brockton since 1970. He was a U.S. Army veteran of the Korean War.

Margaret A. (Galvin) Ryan died Aug. 30, 2008, at the Maristhill Nursing and Rehabilitation Center in Waltham after a lengthy illness.

Mrs. Ryan was born in Cambridge and was a longtime resident of Arlington. She had worked as a secretary in the brokerage industry.

Frances G. (Gentile) Carrieri of Cambridge died Aug. 26, 2008.

She was the wife of the late Gabriel “Gabe” Carrieri; mother of Joseph Carrieri and his wife, Beverly, Anne Scott and her husband, Oreon, and Beatrice O’Connor and her husband, Kevin; grandmother of Damian Cremins, Michael and Samantha Scott, and Ryan, Kerri and Liam O’Connor; sister of Joseph Gentile and his wife, Lorraine, and the late Mauro Gentile, Anthony Gentile and Emily Ciampi; and sister-in-law of Philip and Polly Carrieri, Ralph and Mary Carrieri, Nino Carrieri and John Ciampi. She is also survived by many nieces and nephews.

Rachel (Henderson) Melchior Falls died Aug. 24, 2008, of brain cancer at her grandparents’ home on Pleasant Bay in South Orleans. She was 40.

Mrs. Falls grew up in Cambridge and South Orleans and had careers first in theater and then in reproductive health, most recently as hotline director for the National Abortion Federation (NAF) in Washington, D.C.

Cosmo H. DiNitto Sr. died Aug. 19, 2008, at Falmouth Hospital. He was 88.

Mr. DiNitto was born in Somerville, son of the late Antonio and Civita (Ranucci) DiNitto, and was a resident of Mashpee, formerly of Somerville and Cambridge. During World War II, he served with the U.S. Army in Company H 410th Infantry Battalion with the rank of private first class.

Anthony Paul George died Aug. 19, 2008, at the Kaplan Family Hospice House in Danvers after a lengthy illness. He was 65.

Mr. George was born in Cambridge and was a resident of Londonderry, N.H., for many years, formerly of Cambridge. He was a U.S. Army veteran of the Vietnam War and worked as a computer technician for Cisco Systems Inc.

George R. Gray Sr. died peacefully Aug. 20, 2008, at the Kaplan Hospice House in Danvers. He was 91.

Mr. Gray was born in Cambridge on June 26, 1917, son of the late Alexander G. and Elizabeth (Sullivan) Gray. He graduated from Cambridge High and Latin School with the Class of 1934 and worked at the Ford Motor assembly plant in Somerville before enlisting in the U.S. Navy. He was stationed in Great Britain and Ireland as armed forces prepared for the D-Day invasion.

Emmeline H. Gregoire died Aug. 18, 2008, at the Park Avenue Nursing Center in Arlington. She was 87.

Mrs. Gregoire was born in Brunswick, Maine, on March 9, 1921, and was a resident of Somerville for most of her life, formerly of Cambridge and Lawrence. She was raised and educated in Lawrence and was a salesperson for Kmart before retiring in the 1980s.

Mr. Healy was born in Cambridge on Nov. 18, 1918, and was a lifelong resident. He served as a major with the U.S. Army Air Corps during World War II and the Korean War. He graduated from Boston College and was a retired Cambridge city clerk.

Anastasia Manolas died at home Aug. 19, 2008, surrounded by her family who cared for her throughout her year-long battle with ALS. She was 78.

Ms. Manolas was born in the Bronx, N.Y., on March 19, 1930, daughter of the late Constantine and Stavroula Manolas, and was a resident of Cambridge. She was employed by John Hancock Financial Services in Boston for 59 years before retiring in November 2007. She was executive staff to the retired chairman of the board and the retired chief investment officer.

Mrs. Reilly was born in Boston and was a resident of Cambridge.

John D. Silk, a senior priest for the Archdiocesan of Boston, died Aug. 19, 2008, at D’Youville Senior Care Center. He was 80.

Rev. Silk was born in Lowell on March 4, 1928, son of the late Adam F. and Mary (Cogger) Silk, and was a lifelong resident. He attended Lowell schools and graduated from Keith Academy with the Class of 1945. In 1951, he was a member of the first graduating class at Merrimack College.

Stanley E. MacKinnon died suddenly May 19, 2008, at his home, with his wife by his side. He was 68.

Mr. MacKinnon was born in Arlington on Nov. 27, 1939, son of the late Oliver and Barbara (Birt) MacKinnon. He was raised in Somerville, graduating from Somerville High School with the Class of 1958. He married Nancy (Anderson), his high school sweetheart, in 1960 and moved to Billerica in 1966.

Emma (Goduti) Blessington died Aug. 13, 2008, at the Park Avenue Nursing Home in Arlington. She was 96.

Mrs. Blessington was born in Boston on Nov. 25, 1911, daughter of the late Luigi and Josephine (Carbone) Blessington, and was a resident of Arlington, formerly of Cambridge. She worked as a dental receptionist.

Robert Emmanul Eugene died Aug. 11, 2008, at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston. He was 67.

Mr. Eugene was born in Port de Paix, Haiti, and had been a resident of Cambridge for 30 years. He worked as an accountant for the Cambridge Housing Alliance and was a member of the Masons of Lesfreres of Dorchester.

Alice (Marshall) Farias died Aug. 14, 2008, at Salem Hospital after a brief illness. She was 85.

Mrs. Farias was born in Cambridge, daughter of the late Jacinto and Susaltina (Costa) Marshall, and had been a resident of Peabody for 20 years. She was raised and educated in Cambridge and attended St. Anthony’s Church. She worked as a stitcher for more than 27 years at Cosmopolitan in Boston and Blowers in Cambridge.