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Archive for the ‘Obituaries’ Category

PostHeaderIcon Mary C. Foley of Adams, December 1, 1958 – December 29, 2023

Mary C. Foley of Adams, MA died from complications of Covid on December 29th.  Born in Northampton, MA on December 1, 1958, Mary attended public schools in Easthampton and graduated from Amherst Regional High School with the class of 1976.  After high school she went on to receive her Associate’s degree in Medical Record Technology from Holyoke Community College.

Mary retired as a staffing coordinator at Springside Rehabilitation and Nursing Care Center in Pittsfield, MA and previously worked at Greylock Pavilion in North Adams Regional Hospital.  Mary enjoyed working with people and collected many friends from all over the country.  She was also a collector of unique banana oddities. 

Mary is pre-deceased by her parents James P. Foley and Patricia M. Foley of South Amherst.  She is survived by her sister Trish Bachand and her husband Paul of Belchertown, nephews Brian (Jes Bolduc) and Dylan Bachand (Trisha Collette), niece Chelsea Loomis and her husband Nathan of Poultney, Vermont.  Along with her little ‘banana babies’ Bailey, Brayden, Marianna, Kinsley Bachand and Hattie and Abigail Loomis.

A Celebration of Life will be held for Mary this spring at the convenience of the family.  In Mary’s honor drink a banana cocktail or play “Aunty Ry’s homeschool math” (aka scratch tickets) while listening to Bobby Sherman music.

Special thanks to Douglass Funeral Home of Amherst. Memorial guestbook at www.douglassfuneral.com

PostHeaderIcon John J. Mara of MA, November 30, 1927 – January 5, 2024

NOVEMBER 30, 1927 – JANUARY 5, 2024

John J. Mara of Shutesbury, MA, enjoyed a long, healthy, active life well into his 96th year and even in his last months he said he felt like age 50 inside! His secret for a long life was “never stop moving, practice gratitude and have faith in God”. He died a natural death in the peace and comfort of his own home on Lake Wyola at dawn on January 5, 2024 in the care of his loving family.

John Joseph was born at home to Italian immigrants from Sicily on November 30th in the year 1927 in South Boston, MA, the 5th of 10 children with a rich family history. He graduated from Boston’s Abraham Lincoln School in 1942 and Boston Technical High School in 1945 with a degree in drafting.

He married his beautiful wife Rose (Guazzerotti), of East Boston, in 1951. They met at a dance hall in Boston and John knew she was “the one”, vowing she would never return to the dance hall for risk of another man setting his eyes on her. His favorite song at the time was “Rose Marie” and when she told him that night that her middle name was Marie he knew they were destined to be. They were married 58 years before her passing in 2009. They were blessed with 4 children and the family resided first in Jamaica Plain and then Saugus, MA.

John was an exceptionally talented and highly respected draftsman/technical illustrator for MIT, working for Professor Arthur Von Hipple (“The Prof” as he affectionately referred to him) and other scientists from 1945-1990. That was back in the day when drafting was all skillfully done by hand. He had the privilege of meeting and designing drawings for distinguished and renowned individuals such as Nobel Prize winner Niels Bohr, artist MC Escher, oceanographer Jacques Cousteau, the “Queen of Carbon Science” Mildred (Millie) Dresselhaus, Itzhak Perlman the famous violinist and the visionary photographer Don Edgerton (Papa Flash).

He stood alongside the scientists who witnessed the creation of liquid helium for the first time in history and even drove with them around Boston to see what would occur. If you’re at all curious, it evaporated. His work can be found in the scientific literature of educational and government institutions. After 45 years at MIT, he retired and moved with his wife Rose to Lake Wyola in Shutesbury, MA.

John entertained family and friends with his sense of humor and joke telling, always leaving the crowd wanting more. Sometimes this was to the dismay of his family who might have heard one of his jokes a few too many times! His wife was the exception, she was all ears, reveling as if she was hearing each joke for the first time. “Have you heard the one about…..?!”

John was a kind and generous man who helped others in inconspicuous ways. He was known to literally give a stranger a sweater or coat out of the trunk of his car, or hand out coins and grocery totes at Aldis Market. He would gather his returnable cans and pass them on to the infamous plastic bag woman who collected them on the street. You might have even bumped into him in the grocery store aisle proclaiming the harm of high fructose corn syrup or bestowing the virtues of organic extra virgin olive oil because he sincerely wanted you to eat healthy! When you take advantage of the family discount at Salvation Army, you can thank John for that as he convinced the manager that it’s not just seniors who need a break but even more so for struggling families.

John was inquisitive and interested in science, history and marveled at how things are made. He had great admiration and respect for Albert Einstein. Got a question about WWII? He could answer it. He loved music (a disc jockey in his youth), and the dancing of the Fred Astaire era, and he was a dandy dancer himself, a fabulous jitterbugger back in the day with his favorite partner Rose. He enjoyed puzzle making, entertaining and cooking all kinds of delicious meals. He was a bowling enthusiast and lifetime bowler, most recently with friends at French King Bowling Center until age 92. He and Rose enjoyed taking bus tours around NE taking in musical theater and making new friends.

He loved to “hunt” through flea markets, tag sales and second hand stores always in anticipation of some treasure or bargain. If it was broken, no problem he could fix it. Can’t find what you need? To his glory, he had a way of making it appear from his trove of treasures. He was quite the handy man, enjoyed woodworking and took great pride in transforming his retirement home on Lake Wyola from a cottage to a comfortable year-round residence.

Most importantly, he lived with gratitude and was a man of devotion and faith in God which sustained him up until his passing. He wonderfully embraced his role as provider for his family and was a loving and proud father and grandfather. He says “goodbye for now” to his four beloved children, and devoted sons-in-law: Paula (Paul) Lyons of Shutesbury, MA; James Mara of Littleton, MA; Louise Mara (James LaBonte) of Leominster, MA; Ruth Mara, of Shutesbury, MA; and two adored grandchildren and their spouses, Jaron Lyons (Elise Flynn) of Wendell, MA and Kendra Lyons (Dan Whatley) of St Petersburg, FL; and one precious 3 year old great-granddaughter Zia Colleen. He also bids farewell to a dear brother Paul and his wife Diane from CA, his little sister Doris of MA, and many, many nieces and nephews.

You know how there are those character actors in the movies who play a quiet but memorable part? Well, in this drama of life that’s how we see John’s part and how we will remember him; a talented, simple, loving, kind and generous man who touched our lives in a unique way. His physical presence among us will be dearly missed.

Services are private with interment of his ashes in the Springtime to join Rose’s at St. Brigid’s Cemetery in Hadley, beneath a tombstone that’s engraved with “I Remember You” a song he sang to her many times. With our hearts united as a family we celebrate his life and reunion in Spirit with his beloved wife.

Our deepest gratitude goes to the Hospice Angels at Pioneer Valley who lovingly and tenderly supported our family and cared for John over the last several months of his life. He says to them, it was “nice” to have known you.

PostHeaderIcon ROBERT H. BRITT of AMHERST, February 4, 1936 – December 28, 2023

Robert H. Britt passed away peacefully on December 28, 2023, with his daughter by his side, after a period of declining health. Bob was born on February 4, 1936 to Mildred (Pratt) and William Britt. He spent his earliest years in Pelham, where he had a beloved pet goat, before moving to Amherst where he later met and married Roberta Hebert. Roberta died on August 9, 2022. They raised three children together in Amherst: Aaron (Cathy), Sharon (Dan), and Shawn (Dawn). Bob was very proud of his children’s educational and professional accomplishments as well as those of his grandchildren Lindsey (Eric), Danielle, and Christiane who were his pride and joy.

 

In his younger years, Bob worked in construction, laying foundations for area homes, and paving local streets and sidewalks. In later years he worked in maintenance at Amherst College. Bob enjoyed going to the Hinsdale, NH racetrack, watching his children and grandchildren play soccer, taking long walks (a habit he continued until the very end), and getting thin crust pizza from Aqua Vita in Hadley. He liked going to the 3 County Fair to see the horses and even ride the big slide in a burlap sack with his granddaughter Lindsey. He would gladly pet sit for his family and cherished the time spent with their animals, including his daughter-in-law’s ponies whose photos he kept beside his favorite chair.

 

Bob believed in staying physically active, but when he wasn’t moving he was listening to music, especially Emmy Lou Harris, Willie Nelson, and other country and folk favorites, or watching movies from his extensive collection. Bob was an encyclopedia of knowledge about his favorite music and movies. He enjoyed concert movies as well as attending live shows at The Iron Horse, Calvin Theater, Pearl Street and Pines Theater, which was something he often did with his daughter.

 

Bob was predeceased by his parents, his nephew Peter Russell, his niece Laura Ann Britt, his brother Jim, and an infant son Joseph. He is survived by his children and grandchildren, brothers Don, Paul, Larry and sisters, Connie and Shirley. The family is grateful for the warmth and kindness Bob was shown in his final days by the staff at Fisher Home. Although he was often uncomfortable receiving gifts, he very much enjoyed gifts given to charity in his honor, so the family requests that anyone who is so moved make a donation to the Amherst Survival Center (amherstsurvival.org), Hospice of the Fisher Home (fisherhome.org) or to a local animal rescue organization. Friends and family are invited to join us celebrating his life by attending visiting hours on Wednesday, January 10th from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. at the Douglass Funeral Service, 87 North Pleasant Street, Amherst, Ma.

PostHeaderIcon GIGI GREEN of AMHERST, MA, June 20, 1924 – December 7, 2023

Gigi Green – Amherst, MA

20 June 1924 – 7 December 2023

 Celebrating the passing of Gigi Green, a centenarian Buddhist-Christian practical mystic, pacifist war veteran, teacher, nurse, healer, and multi-dimensional World Traveler. An Epoch of World History ends after 99 ½ years.

Depending on how and when you knew Gigi, you could think of her in all these ways and many more. In every one of these identities, you would be right.  Right until the end, Gigi knew where she was, who she was with, and what they meant to her.

Gigi was born in Boston, Massachusetts on June 20th, 1924, in a conservative home, where form and propriety were the foundation of her childhood. Despite the conservative nature of her home, her mother, Georgia was a model for the social consciousness that would be the framework for Gigi’s life. When the Second World War struck England, this social consciousness was put to work. At fifteen, she sold cookies door to door for British War Relief. Her horizons expanded as she bicycled 24 miles round trip to take flying lessons at a local airstrip. At eighteen she enrolled in Saint Lawrence University because it had an airstrip where she planned to finish her pilot’s license. Long before it came into fashion, she dropped out of college and moved to California, where she worked in the war industry until she joined the Army Air Corps where she was an Airplane and Engine Mechanic (a grease monkey was the term she used). Gigi was both proud of her service and quick to correct anyone who referred to her service as being in the Army without adding the Air Corps.

After a brief wartime infatuation, she married Steve Eckardt on the sixth of August 1945. In the next seven years Gigi’s three children were born; Valerie in Salzburg, Austria; Peter in Northampton, MA; and Cameron in Washington, DC.  In 1952 the Foreign Service posted Steve to Greece where they lived for three years until their separation prior to a divorce, which was unthinkable in mid 1950’s America.

Gigi moved to California and then, with the spirit of adventure that she held onto throughout her life, she embarked upon a three-month camping trip across the United States and Canada – a fun but challenging task for a single mum with three small children.

Gigi moved into the house on Cape Cod Bay in Sagamore Beach that her parents had bought when her oldest sister was born, and spent one of her fondest years, secure with her children by the fireside in an unheated summer house overlooking Cape Cod Bay. Not for everyone, but she loved it.

Although Gigi loved living at Sagamore Beach, she moved the family back to her childhood home in Newton where she completed her bachelor’s degree after 20 years. She worked as church secretary and elementary school teacher. When Valerie and Peter had both graduated from high school, Gigi moved back to her home at Sagamore Beach.

She might have remained a teacher, had it not been for the horrors of the American bombing campaign during the Viet Nam War. Her sense of social duty led her to change course and become a nurse. She had planned to join the Sisters of Saint Margaret, an Episcopal religious community, but abandoned that to care for her mother who had been left an invalid by a stroke. During this time she married again to Jim Craig, a friend from the Amherst days. Although the marriage did not last, she supported Jim through his battle with lung cancer and his eventual death. The house in Sagamore and long walks on the Beach remained her passion. She worked nights caring for patients in hospital and hospice, until a life-threatening car accident ended that career.

At the age of 73 she started a completely new and independent life in Amherst, where Cameron lived. There, she became a devoted Buddhist, becoming an ordained disciple of Thich Nhat Hahn, whom she knew personally, and leading a Sanga for as long as she lived. She lived up to the title of world traveler, visiting all seven continents including solidarity journeys to Cuba and Nicaragua; a devotional visit to Viet Nam with Thich Nhat Hahn; stints as research assistant in New Zealand and Tahiti; an environmental trip to Antarctica on a science vessel; protests and demonstrations in several states and, of course, simply seeing the world while making friends and collecting sand. She visited her nephew Fulton in Alaska, Cameron in the British Virgin Islands, and Valerie in Southern Florida. Her most frequent trips though were to Denmark where Peter had moved in 1969. She rode on his motorcycle to the chalk cliffs at Stevns, weeded in his garden, and celebrated her ninety-second birthday on the beach at Skagen, with one foot in the North Sea and the other in the Skagerrak. Valerie also moved to Amherst and she and Gigi traveled together, exploring Western Mass as well as a trip of a lifetime to England for 3 weeks.

Gigi’s years in Sagamore and Amherst were a blossoming of political and spiritual activism. She enjoyed such divergent activities as founding Cape Cod Vegetarians with Cameron and actively participating in the International Sand Collectors Society. She worked with Veterans for Peace visiting middle schools talking about her experiences in the service. For 12 years she volunteered at a medium security prison presenting Alternatives to Violence, a program shown to reduce recidivism. After many years as a practicing Buddhist, she circled back, embracing both Buddhism and her Christian roots; standing with one foot in each tradition as she had once stood with one foot in each of the Nordic Seas.

She had several life-threatening events before; The leg wound in Nicaragua, the cat bite turned septic, the car crash that tied up traffic on the mid Cape highway 4 hours…. She had rallied and recovered so many times that it was easy to expect that she’d recover from a hip fracture. She did survive surgery and even the post-op pain meds, but it was only a respite, to give her the time she needed to move on, on her own terms.

Gigi’s last weeks were difficult, but she was surrounded by the love of her friends and family. Valerie and Cameron were with her, and Peter spoke with her from Denmark every day. All three of her grandchildren; Rune in Denmark, Cielia in Italy, and Talia in Atlanta, were in touch throughout the week.

Gigi died peacefully in the bed in which she was born, as she wished. She lives on in the countless lives she touched. She was predeceased by her four older sisters and her beloved nephew, Fulton and niece, Karen. In addition to her children, Valerie, Peter and Cameron and grandchildren, Talia, Rune and Cielia, her life is celebrated by her stepsons Jim and Ken; her daughter in law Elisabeth, her grandson in law, Andre, her nieces and nephews; Carol, Bentley, Susan, Sally and Larry; and her great grandchildren Erika, Dagmar, Fulton and Casey; as well as her large chosen family especially Alan, who called her “Ma” for over 50 years. Her friends and supporters, those in her Sangha and beyond, are too numerous to mention. Gigi treasured each one.

In lieu of flowers, we suggest a donation in Gigi’s name to:

Amherst Survival Center https://amherstsurvival.org/

Dakin Humane Society, https://www.dakinhumane.org/

Perkins Library https://www.perkins.org/library/

Society of St. Margaret https://societyofstmargaret.org/

or another group of your choosing in her spirit.

A memorial service will be held at Grace Episcopal Church, Amherst MA, January 27th at 11:00 am. Reception will follow in the Parish Hall, Spring Street, at 12:15.

 

 

PostHeaderIcon MAURICE I. LEVIN of AMHERST, MA, February 13, 1931 – December 13, 2023

AMHERST, MA. Maurice I. Levin, 92, passed away on December 13, 2023, at the age of 92, in Amherst, Massachusetts, following a brief illness. He was the son of the late David and Rose Levin of Newburyport, Massachusetts. He was predeceased by his brother Leonard Levin; his sisters Elaine Mussman and Norma Kabachnick; his sister-in-law, Nancy Vegelante; and his niece, Suzan Proia. He is survived by his wife of nearly 70 years, Donna J. Levin; his children and their spouses, Diane Levin and Stephen Hicks, and John Levin and Sarah Osgood; his grandson, Adamo Lanza; his step-granddaughter, Emmalyn Hicks and her partner Rachel Stein; and beloved nephews and nieces.

Maurice was a professor emeritus of the University of Massachusetts Amherst, where he taught in the Department of Slavic Language and Literature, from 1968 until his retirement in 1998, serving as department chair in the mid-1970’s. In 1977 he received the Distinguished Teaching Award, which honors exemplary teaching. Prior to that he taught Russian language at Indiana University as an associate professor (1965-1968) and as an assistant professor at Bowdoin College (1963-1965). He authored a highly regarded and widely used college- and graduate-level textbook, Russian Declension and Conjugation: A Structural Description with Exercises (Slavica Publishers, 1978).

Maurice graduated from Revere High School in Revere, Massachusetts, in 1949. In 1953 he earned his B.A. in English from Boston University, enlisted in the United States Army, and married Donna. He served his country in the Korean War from 1953 to 1956. During that time, he studied Russian language at the Monterey Army Language School in Monterey, California, and was subsequently stationed in Frankfurt and Berlin, Germany. Following his honorable discharge, he continued his education, earning his Ph.D. from Harvard University in 1958 under the G.I. Bill.

While higher education was his calling, his true devotion was to his family. He and Donna raised their two children in Amherst. As a family they enjoyed sailing and kayaking on Western Massachusetts waterways and sharing cookouts and holiday celebrations with family and friends. Anyone—particularly students far from home with no place to go on the holidays–was always welcome at the Levin family dinner table. A lover of verse and music, Maurice recited or sang from memory poetry, Shakespearean sonnets, Irish ballads, and Tom Lehrer tunes. Their home was a frequent gathering place for the numerous friends Maurice and Donna made—many of whom remained friends lifelong. Beloved by family, dear friends, university colleagues, and students, he will be dearly missed.

Services will be private.

Memorial Guestbook at www.douglassfuneral.com

 

 

 

 

PostHeaderIcon REXFORD K. SLOAT Jr. of FLORENCE, MA., November 3, 1935 – December 13, 2023

FLORENCE, MA. Rexford “Rex” K. Sloat, 88, of Florence, Massachusetts, passed away peacefully on
December 13, 2023. Rex was born on November 3, 1935, to Ethel and Rexford Sloat in
Hobart, New York. As a child, Rex lived in Montvale, New Jersey, and in 1965, moved
to Massachusetts, where he lived the rest of his life.

Rex dedicated many years of hard work as a machine operator at Packaging
Corporation of America in Northampton, Massachusetts, from 1967 until his retirement
in 2004. Later, he continued to share his skills and warmth at Liquors 44 in
Northampton from 2005 until 2019.

In his leisure time, Rex enjoyed singing and playing guitar, watching and cheering on
his beloved New England Patriots, Boston Red Sox, and Boston Celtics, and sharing
stories and laughs with friends and family.

Rex is survived by his loving wife, Nancy, and his cherished children: Ken Sloat (Erin),
Shaun Sloat, Glen Facto (Sheryl), and Barbara Sparks. He will be fondly remembered
by his niece, Debbi Sacco, and his grandchildren: Asher and Avery Sloat, Shawn and
Joey Sparks, Joshua and Stephanie Fournier, Kyle Facto, and Jessica Sacco. Rex’s
legacy extends to his great-grandchildren, as well as many nieces and nephews.

Rex’s warm spirit, love for life, and the joy he brought to those around him will be
deeply missed but forever remembered by all who had the privilege of knowing him.
May he rest in peace.

A public wake to celebrate Rex’s life will be held at Douglass Funeral Home on Friday,
December 22, from 4:00-6:00 p.m., including a Memorial Service from 6:00-7:00 p.m.

In lieu of flowers, gifts may be made to Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in memory of Rex
Sloat to support cancer research and patient care at: Dana-Farber Cancer Institute,
P.O. Box 849168, Boston, MA 02284, or dana-farber.org/gift

Memorial Guestbook at www.douglasfuneral.com

PostHeaderIcon SCOTT R. RHODES of AMHERST, MA., May 8, 1982 – December 4, 2023

AMHERST, MA: Scott Robert Rhodes, beloved father, husband, son and brother lost his battle with mental illness on December 4th 2023 at the age of 41.  He is survived by his wife Kristen, his children Jason, Scott,  and Madelyn. His parents, Cheri and Dusty.  His siblings Nick, Andrew, Thomas and Katelyn. And his many nieces and nephews. 
 
Scott loved the outdoors.  He competed in national kayak fishing tournaments and had hiked much of the Appalachian Trail. He played basketball and football and was proud of his role as part of the 2000 Amherst Regional High School championship football team.
 
In 2014 Scott was hit by a car while riding a bicycle and suffered a traumatic brain injury. He was never the same. He struggled with memory problems and depression as a result, and could not reach a place to accept the help he needed.
 
Scott will be remembered for his humor, his willingness to always help someone in need, and his distinct ability to give everyone a hard time. Even with his injury he tried his best to be a parent, even though it was hard he did the best he could. This was particularly evident in his last days.
 
A celebration of life will be held at a future date next year. In lieu of flowers, a donation can be made in Scott’s name to Whole Children at https://www.wholechildren.org/
 
Memorial Guestbook at www.douglassfuneral.com

PostHeaderIcon VALERIE A. IVY of AMHERST, MA, June 21, 1924 – December 3, 2023

Valerie Ivy, 99, died peacefully at the Hospice of the Fisher Home in Amherst, Massachusetts on December 2, 2023.

Born in Rostov-on-Don, Russia in 1924, she was the only child of a Russian mother and an Armenian father who had emigrated as a teenager from eastern Turkey, escaping the Armenian genocide.  At age 5, her family emigrated from Stalinist Russia to northern Iran, where she spent most of her childhood.  She was educated at the French Catholic St. Vincent de Paul School in Tabriz, Iran and later attended boarding school at Ecole Jeanne D’Arc in Tehran, Iran.

In the 1940s, Valerie worked as an elementary school teacher and later as a secretary in the US Embassy in Tehran, where she met her future husband, Peter Ivy (Amherst College ’43) when he served in the US Army’s Persian Gulf Command.  Their romance blossomed when the Russian circus was in town, and she offered to translate his program into English.  After their marriage in 1947 at the American Mission Church in Tehran, they traveled by ship to the US, and settled in Philadelphia, PA, where they raised their 3 children.  They later moved to Binghamton, NY, and to Setauket (Long Island), NY, where Valerie worked as a secretary in the Ward Melville School District.

Valerie and Peter retired in 1993 to Pelham, MA, and in 2007 moved to the Applewood at Amherst retirement community.  They embraced and enriched their golden years with family, friendships, diverse hobbies, and travel within the US and abroad, often taking advantage of Valerie’s language skills in French, Russian, Armenian, and Farsi.  After Peter died in 2013, Valerie continued to pursue friendships and creative endeavors at Applewood.  She was a gifted quilter with keen eye for color, an avid reader, and an excellent cook and gardener.  Her ultimate joy was being surrounded by family, celebrating holidays, and cooking meals they would enjoy and remember.

Valerie is survived by her children Valerie and Andrew Steinberg, Elizabeth Read, Stephen and Robin Ivy; grandchildren Scott Steinberg, Jennifer and Colin O’Sullivan, Madlen Read, Samuel Read and Caroline Ciocca, Peter Ivy, and Lauren and Ryan Domenick; great grandchildren Devin O’Sullivan, Eric O’Sullivan, and Evelyn O’Sullivan, and many nieces and nephews.

Her family is grateful for the love and support of Applewood residents and staff over the past 15 years, and for the compassion and skill of the staff and volunteers at the Hospice of the Fisher Home caring for Valerie in her final days.

A celebration of Valerie’s life and 100th birthday will be held in Amherst in June 2024.  Her ashes will be interred in the columbarium at Grace Episcopal Church, Amherst, where she and Peter were members of the congregation.  In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in Valerie’s name to the Hospice of the Fisher Home (1165 North Pleasant St, Amherst, MA 01002) or Smile Train (P.O. Box 96231, Washington DC 20090-6231).

Obituary and memorial registration at www.douglassfuneral.com.

 

 

 

PostHeaderIcon JEANETTE J. HALL of PELHAM, MA, October 10, 1936 – December 10, 2023

PELHAM,MA: Jeannette J. (Magdycz) Hall, 87, passed away peacefully on December 10, 2023, at home.

Born in Montague, October 10, 1936, she was the daughter of the late Peter and Anna (Kaczynska) Magdycz. Jeannette attended school in Montague and graduated from Turners Falls High School.  She began her career as a dental assistant in Greenfield. She met her late husband, Richard, and married in 1958. They made their home in Pelham and raised their family. Both Jeannette and her late husband, Richard L. Hall, owned and operated Hall’s Poultry Food Service on their farm in Pelham.

Jeannette was a loving wife and devoted mother to her sons, grandchildren, and great grandchildren. Many of her sons’ friends called her ma or ciocia. Jean was a very generous and kind person who had a great sense of humor and a great smile for everyone she met. She loved playing bingo, traveling to Old Orchard Beach, Maine and Venice, Florida. She was an avid Red Sox and Patriot fan like her husband and attended many Red Sox spring training games in Florida.

She was a communicant of St. Brigid’s church in Amherst. Jeannette is survived by her son Rick (Richard) and his wife Laura of Pelham, two grandsons, Jason Hall (Nessa) of Hadley, and Stephen Hall of Pelham. Two granddaughters, Courtney Hall of Hadley and Shelbey Hall of Manhattan, NY, two great granddaughters, Brooke and Mackenzie Hall of Pelham and a sister-in-law, Helen Magdycz of Hatfield. She also leaves many nieces and nephews.

Jeannette was predeceased by her husband, Richard L., son Peter C. and granddaughter Chelsea. Her two sisters, Emily Dupay and Caroline Wykowski, five brothers, John, Edward, Peter, Albert, and Raymond Magdycz.

Funeral Services will be held on December 18, 2023, at 11am from the Douglass Funeral Service in Amherst, Ma. A calling hour, 10am-11am, will precede the Funeral Service.

Burial will follow at Quabbin Memorial Park Cemetery, Ware MA, in lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the Pelham Fire Department, 2 South Valley Rd., Pelham Ma.

Memorial Guestbook at www.douglassfuneral.com

 

 

PostHeaderIcon ALICE J. UNDERWOOD of HADLEY, May 22, 1927 – December 6, 2023

Hadley, MA — Alice Joy Underwood, 96, died on December 6, 2023 at The Center for Extended Care at Amherst. She was born at Cooley Dickinson Hospital in Northampton, MA on May 22, 1927, daughter of Ruth Emily (Smith) and Linn Raymond Underwood of Hadley.

She attended Hadley schools and graduated from Hopkins Academy, Class of 1945 and from Northampton Commercial College, Class of 1947. She retired from Shawmut Bank-Amherst (formerly The First National Bank of Amherst) as a Trust Administrator in the Trust Department in 1990.

Alice is survived by her sisters Shirley Parsons of Hadley and Nancy Johnson of Athol along with several nieces and nephews. She is predeceased by her sister Jane Underwood (with whom she lived).

There will be no calling hours or service. Burial will be in Wildwood Cemetery, Amherst. Donations in her memory may be made to the Dakin Humane Society, PO Box 6307, Springfield, MA 01101 or at dakinhumane.org. Memorial guestbook at www.douglassfuneral.com

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