Family robbed while at wake for Tewksbury father

TEWKSBURY, Mass. (WHDH) -- Police in Tewksbury are looking for a suspect accused of robbing a home of a man who died of complications from colon cancer as he was being waked.

“He mentored me and molded me and made me very proud,” said Marc Fleury, whose older brother Wayne Fleury passed away on Friday.

The 48-year-old husband and father of two was buried Wednesday at Tewksbury cemetery.

His wake was held Tuesday night. Someone saw that as an opportunity to break into the family’s home.

“Laura’s hanging in there…Not only has she lost her husband, but she got violated in a way -- you can’t sleep anyway, how do you sleep after that?” said Deb Surette, Wayne Fleury’s sister.

Wayne Fleury loved to perform. He seemed to go through life happy with a guitar in his hands and a song in his heart. He was past Grand Night at the Fr. Coppen’s Council Knights of Columbus, where people gathered for a reception after the funeral and looked at streaming photos on a big screen.

“Here’s a guy that’s done all kinds of things for charity and he’s given up all the time he had and he dies and someone breaks into his house. It’s ridiculous,” said Joe Cozza, who organized charities with Wayne Fleury.

Police sent four cruisers to the house Tuesday night. Someone had heard a dog barking and saw someone running down the street at one point, but the thief got away with the Fleury’s things.

“Two iPods, an iPad, xbox and they had to rip it out of the wall because it was connected so it left some damage on the ceiling,” said Marc Fleury.

Everyone at the Knights of Columbus and friends and family hope the police can find out who did this.

If you are interested in donating to the family they can be sent to:

Wayne P. Fleury Memorial Fund
C/O Lowell Five Bank
1775 Main Street
Tewksbury, Mass. 01876