RONALD ERNEST WAIGHT

1921 – 2013

HOLYOKE, Ronald (John) Ernest Waight, 92, passed away in Hospice Care at Loomis Nursing Home in Holyoke. He was born and raised in Southampton England. He served in the Royal Air Force as a Flight Sergeant in WWII, where he received several medals and 2 commendations from the Queen. He was predeceased by his wife of 50 years Barbara Waight (Perry) of Plymouth England. He is survived by his brother Arthur James Waight and his family in the UK. Additionally he is survived by his 5 children, 8 grandchildren (1 deceased), and 3 great-grandchildren. Calling hours will be from 5-7 p.m. on Tuesday July 2^nd at the Douglass Funeral Service, Amherst. Obituary and memorial register at www.douglassfuneral.com.

Service details, Social networking, Memorial Guestbook and Slideshow are available here.

HORACE LEO FLEURY

AMHERST, Horace Leo Fleury passed away peacefully after a long illness on Tuesday, June 25, 2013 surrounded by his family and friends.

Leo was born July 28, 1919 in Amherst. He was the son of the late Charles and Mary (Shea) Fleury. He was the youngest of 17 children.

He grew up and spent most of his life in Amherst. He graduated from Amherst High School and Stockbridge Agricultural College.

Leo was a World War II veteran. He served in the Army Signal Corps from 1942 until 1945 in North Africa, India, Burma and China. He was awarded the bronze star for meritorious service.

He was employed as a typesetter at Hamilton Newell Printing for many years. He was an avid New England Patriots fan. Leo loved all local high school and college sports and could be found at all of the games amiably chatting with everyone. He had a vast knowledge of the history and people of the town of Amherst which he loved to share.

Leo was predeceased by his wife Janet in November 2012, his son Charles in May 2012, his brothers Charles, Frank, John, George and James, his sisters Katherine, Helen, Adeline, Margaret, Madeline, Anna and Elizabeth as well as by his infant brothers and sisters Mary, Michael, William and Cecelia.

He is survived by his daughter Lori and son-in-law William Saylor of Hadley, his son Timothy Fleury and daughter-in-law Patricia Halpin of Sunapee, NH and daughter-in-law Maria Fleury of Jacksonville, FL, his grandchildren Connor and Ryan Fleury of Sunapee, NH, Jonathan, Gina and Frank Fleury of Jacksonville, FL and Ember Russell of Austin, Texas.

The family wishes to thank Leo’s loving caregivers Bonnie and Stephenie Dutcher and the wonderful, caring staff at the Center for Extended Care at Amherst who so lovingly cared for him in the final years of his life. Their kindness and love has been greatly appreciated.  A special thanks to Doris Drake, friend and neighbor, for her love, support and kindness throughout the years for both Jan and Leo.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held Monday, July 1^st at 10 a.m. at St. Brigid’s Church in Amherst with burial following at Olde Hadley Cemetery. Calling hours will be held at the Douglass Funeral Home in Amherst on Sunday, June 30 from 3 to 5 p.m.

In lieu of flowers donations to the Wounded Warrior Project at https://support.woundedwarriorproject.org/ may be made in Leo or Charles Fleury’s name. Obituary and memorial register at www.douglassfuneral.com.

Service details, Social networking, Memorial Guestbook and Slideshow are available here.

DOROTHY M. BURKE

AMHERST, Dorothy M. (Hopper) Burke, resident of the Arbors at Amherst, died June 16, 2013.  Born July 14, 1910 in Highland, NY, she was the daughter of Fred Brooke and Mabel Millspaugh Hopper.

She was educated in the Newburgh, NY public schools and was graduated from CornellUniversity in 1932.   She was married to James W. Burke of Waverly, NY in 1932; they were divorced in 1958.

Mrs. Burke came to Amherst in 1935.  From 1956 until 1966, she was employed at the Amherst Journal Record – first as a stringer, then as assistant editor; and from 1964 – 1966 as News Editor.  In 1966 she took a position as Head of Residence at the University of Massachusetts, serving in that capacity until her retirement in 1978.  From 1978 until 1985, she was employed part-time in the UMass residence halls.

Mrs. Burke served on the Amherst Council on Aging from 1997 until 2002 and was a member of the Amherst Woman’s Club and the Amherst Historical Society.

She leaves three sons, Dennis Michael Burke of Belchertown, MA, Peter James Burke of Riverside, CA, and Stephen E. Burke of East Dennis, MA.  Her daughter, Sheila T. Burke of Amherst passed away in 2004.  She also leaves one sister, Margaret Donahue of Newburgh, NY.  Another sister, Barbara Smith of Tupper Lake, NY, and a brother, John Hopper of Newburgh, NY, predeceased Mrs. Burke.  Mrs. Burke leaves 10 Grandchildren and 10 Great Grandchildren.

Calling hours will be Friday, June 21, from 5 to 7 p.m. at the Douglass Funeral Service, Amherst. A graveside service will be held at the convenience of the family in Highland Cemetery, NY. Obituary and memorial register at www.douglassfuneral.com.

Service details, Social networking, Memorial Guestbook and Slideshow are available here.

Thomas Quarles

AMHERST, Thomas Bliss Stillman Quarles, Sr. passed away peacefully on June 1, 2013 five days after his 90th birthday at the Center for Extended Care in Amherst, MA, where he had been for a short time.  Born in Plainfield, NJ in 1923 to Anita M. Stillman and Emmet A. Quarles, he was predeceased by two older brothers Francis Field and James Addison and a younger sister, Mary Ann who died on March 15 this year.

He attended Evergreen Elementary School (whose alma mater song he rendered flawlessly) and graduated from Plainfield High School in 1941, followed by a post-graduate year at Phillips Academy Andover in 1942.  He was a member of the unique Class of 1945W at Yale, an accelerated program interrupted by World War II.  He volunteered in 1944 for service in the Naval Reserve V-5 Flight Training program and was discharged in 1945.  He returned to Yale and completed his B.S. in Industrial Administration in 1947.

After graduation he joined Corn Products Refining Company as an industrial salesman and left after five years to enter Harvard Business School earning an M.B.A.in 1954.  In 1952 he married Carolyn Saunders, a Brattleboro, VT native whose older brother Bill was his classmate at Andover and Yale. They moved to his hometown of Plainfield where he became district sales manager of Union Steel, producer of stainless steel pipe and tubing. One son, Kenneth, was born there in 1955.

The family moved to Needham, MA in 1957, and added two more sons, Thomas, Jr. in 1958 and Robert in 1962.  In 1963 he changed careers and joined the Cambridge Trust Company in Cambridge, MA.  After graduating in 1964 from the National Trust School at Northwestern, and in 1966 from the Stonier Graduate School at Rutgers University, he became a trust officer in 1965.  In 1970 he joined the First National Bank of Amherst, MA where he became a V.P. and head of the Trust Department.  In 1980, he joined the Amoskeag Bank in Manchester, NH as an investment officer.  In 1988 he retired from Amoskeag, worked for Bank East in Manchester, and in 1992 joined Harbor Advisory Corporation in Portsmouth, NH as an investment counselor until 2004.

His community involvement was always wide-ranging: Plainfield YMCA Gymnastic and Boys Work Club; Chairman of the Needham Conservation  Commission and Town Meeting member;  Fund Chairman Cambridge Junior Achievement; Treasurer First Parish Unitarian, Needham;  Class Agent for HBS and Andover; founding member in 1971 of the Kestrel Trust in Amherst (a private land trust); Director of Hampshire Community United Way; Friends of Amherst College Music; Manchester Queen City and Amherst Rotary Clubs (Paul Harris Fellow). 

Sports and fitness were an integral part of his life, and included squash, tennis, hiking (life member of the Appalachian Mountain Club), cycling, canoeing, sailing, skiing, and camping.  He loved spending time at Carolyn’s family summer home on Lake Spofford, NH, and was seldom seen without a daily New York Times.

Music was the main thread of his long life:  Beginning as a treble in an Episcopal Boys Choir in Plainfield, he participated in both vocal and instrumental activities in high school.  At Yale he was president of the Glee Club in 1947 and a member of the 1947 Whiffenpoofs (a capella ensemble).  In 1993 he was an original member of Whiff alumni called the SLOTS (Seems Like Old Times) which was active at Yale reunions until 2012.  He sang in many choral groups and church choirs:   Newton Highland Glee Club; Saengerfest Society of Boston; Manchester Choral Society and the Yankee Male Chorus.

His knowledge and love of opera was extensive.  One of his special loves was Gilbert and Sullivan operettas, when as a teenager he took leading roles in professionally-directed performances during his many summers at Pocono Lake Preserve, PA.  He was a founding member of the Valley Light Opera in Amherst in 1975.

He leaves his wife of 60 years, Carolyn, sons Kenneth (Patti), Golden, CO; Thomas, Jr. (Karen), Brookline, NH; Robert (Linda), Sarasota, FL.  Also three grandchildren, Marissa (Brian) Dilka, Pueblo, CO; Clayton Quarles, Salt Lake City, UT; and Eleanor Quarles, Brookline, NH and one great grandson Jackson Dilka.

A memorial service will be held at South Congregational Church in South Amherst, MA at 2:00 PM Saturday, June 29, 2013.  Contributions in his memory would be appreciated to the Endowment Fund at South Congregational Church, 1066 South East Street, Amherst, MA 01002.  Interment will be in Meeting House Hill Cemetery in Brattleboro, VT.  Obituary and memorial register at douglassfuneral.com.

Service details, Social networking, Memorial Guestbook and Slideshow are available here.

JAMES H. WEAVER
 
HADLEY,  James H. Weaver, 69, passed away on June 6, 2013, after a long
illness. He was born in Pelham, August 22, 1943, son of the late Auburn
K. and Avis B. {Burrows} Weaver.  He was a graduate of the Amherst
Schools and the University of Mass., with a degree in Hotel &
Restaurant Management.  For over 40 years he was employed by the
University of Mass., serving at the time of his retirement as Senior
Financial Manager of Auxiliary Services. He was a member of the Amherst
American Legion, Post 148, The Pacific Lodge of Masons, and the   Young
Mens Club of Hadley. Jim had served in the U.S. Army during the Vietnam
War. He is survived by his partner, Nancy L. Huntley of Hadley,
brothers; Donald A. Weaver of Queensbury, NY, Ernest E. Weaver of
Amherst, and   the late William B. Weaver of Pelham; his son,  Channing
James Weaver, and his beloved grandchildren, Dalton A., Kameron B., and
McKenna P. of White House, TN.  A Memorial Service will be Tuesday,
June 11, 2013, at 10:00AM at The Douglass Funeral Home, Amherst,
followed by burial, with Military Honors, in Quabbin Park Cemetery,
Ware. Calling hours at The Douglass Funeral Home will be Monday, June
10th, from 5:00 – 8:00 PM . In lieu of flowers memorial donations may
be made to: Wounded Warrior Project, P.O. Box 758517, Topeka, KS 66675.
Obituary and Memorial Register at www.douglassfuneral.com

Service details, Social networking, Memorial Guestbook and Slideshow are available here.

BETTY BURNAND WILLIAMS

 

 

 

BELCHERTOWN, MA – Betty Burnand Williams, 79, of Belchertown, MA, went into God’s loving arms on May 23, 2013.  A graveside service of farewell will be held at Woodbury Memorial Park, Jessup Rd & Kings Highway, West Deptford, NJ on June 1^st, 2013 at 10:30 am, Section M.

 

Betty was born in Camden, NJ to Henry and Mary Thomasson on November 25, 1933. She graduated from Paulsboro High School.  She enjoyed crafting, collectibles, reading, and spending time with her family.

 

Betty is preceded in death by her husband Robert J. Williams and grandson James Ryan Kurth.

 

Betty is survived by her sister, Nora Bratton of Thorofare NJ and children James W Kurth and wife Irene of Corpus Christi TX, Gayle (Kurth) McCaughey and husband Charles of Mantua NJ, Mary Lou (Kurth) Coache and husband Richard of Brimfield MA, Brenda Kurth of Moshiem TN, Cathleen (Kurth) Normand and husband Gregory of Belchertown MA, Carla (Kurth) Cloman of Casselberry FL, Russell Williams of Westville NJ, Robyn Williams of Hochessin DE, many loving grandchildren, great grandchildren, and her life-long friend, Carl F Kurth.

 

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the National Ataxia Foundation or Hope United Methodist Church in Belchertown, MA

 

The family wishes to extend their gratitude to the caring staff at the Elaine Center in Hadley, MA and Life Care Hospice for their support in her final days. Obituary and memorial register at www.douglassfuneral.com.

Service details, Social networking, Memorial Guestbook and Slideshow are available here.

DONALD F. COLBURN

HADLEY, Donald F. Colburn, 65, passed away at his home on May 15, 2013, surrounded by his family, following a long battle with pancreatic cancer.  He was the youngest of five children born to Kenneth and Hazel Colburn of Chepachet, RI, on May 6, 1948.  He left behind his loving wife, Sharon of Hadley, MA, and daughters Jessica and Katelyn of Windsor, CT.  He is survived by siblings Kenneth Colburn (Nancy) and Ruth Parr (Don) of Chepachet, RI, Richard Colburn of Danielson, CT, and Nancy Hodges (Austin) of Beaumont, TX, as well as many nieces, nephews and extended family.

Don (Bean) lived 28 years in Chepachet where he attended local schools and played on local hockey, baseball and basketball teams.  He graduated from the University of Rhode Island in 1972, and received his Masters in Public Administration from AmericanUniversity in 1978.  He also was awarded his Law Degree in 1986 from WesternNew EnglandUniversity, School of Law.  He was employed for 36 years with the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture, Rural Development Agency.

He served in the United States Army and was awarded the Bronze Star, the Combat Infantryman Badge and other medals for service in Vietnam.  He was a member of the Massachusetts and Hampshire County Bar Associations, Hampshire/Franklin Umpires’ Association, and he was a member of Pacific Masonic Lodge.

He was an avid fan of the University of Massachusetts hockey and basketball teams, and played on several local hockey and softball teams.  He enjoyed playing golf, and treasured his annual Myrtle Beach golf trip.

Services will be held on Thursday, May 23, at 1:00 pm at Massachusetts Veterans’ MemorialCemetery in Agawam, MA. 

Donations in lieu of flowers may be made to the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network (https://netcommunity.pancan.org/sslpage.aspx?pid=218); or PKD Foundation (https://www.pkdcure.org/donate). Obituary and memorial register at www.douglassfuneral.com.

Service details, Social networking, Memorial Guestbook and Slideshow are available here.

ETHEL E. CASEY

 

Erving – Ethel E. (Hawley) Casey, 85, passed peacefully Tuesday May 7^th after a brief illness with her eldest son by her side. She was predeceased by her beloved husband, Alfred H. Casey.  Born in Pelham of the late John Hawley and Mary (Gillette) Hawley, she was a long time resident of Belchertown, recently residing in Erving at the home of her youngest son and his wife.

 

Ethel graduated from AmherstHigh School, class of 1947.  After raising her family she worked as the first dispatcher for the Senior Surrey at the AmherstSeniorCenter from 1975 until retiring in 1994. She was involved with Hampshire County Triad and the Belchertown Senior Center Travel Club, she loved travel and adventure.

 

In her younger years she was an avid bowler, seamstress and crafter. She got her motorcycle license while in her 50’s. More recently she enjoyed playing cards with her friends, visiting and reading the daily paper.

 

Ethel is survived by her youngest brother Robert Hawley of the Villages in Florida, son Edward K. Casey,  daughter Patricia A. Casey-Campbell and her husband Dale, son John A. Casey and wife Donna, grandchildren Jonathan, Adrianna, and Justin,  great grandson Jacob, and many nieces and nephews.

 

Calling hours are Wednesday May 22 from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Douglass Funeral Service, Amherst.  A graveside service will be at WildwoodCemetery on Thursday May 23^rd at 1:30 p.m. In lieu of flowers memorial donations may be made to the Belchertown Senior Center, 60 State St., Belchertown, MA 01007. Obituary and register at www.douglassfuneral.com.

Service details, Social networking, Memorial Guestbook and Slideshow are available here.

ETHEL E. CASEY

Erving – Ethel E. (Hawley) Casey, 85, passed peacefully Tuesday May 7^th after a brief illness with her eldest son by her side. She was predeceased by her beloved husband, Alfred H. Casey.  Born in Pelham of the late John Hawley and Mary (Gillette) Hawley, she was a long time resident of Belchertown, recently residing in Erving at the home of her youngest son and his wife.

Ethel graduated from AmherstHigh School, class of 1947.  After raising her family she worked as the first dispatcher for the Senior Surrey at the AmherstSeniorCenter from 1975 until retiring in 1994. She was involved with Hampshire County Triad and the Belchertown Senior Center Travel Club, she loved travel and adventure.

In her younger years she was an avid bowler, seamstress and crafter. She got her motorcycle license while in her 50’s. More recently she enjoyed playing cards with her friends, visiting and reading the daily paper.

Ethel is survived by her youngest brother Robert Hawley of the Villages in Florida, son Edward K. Casey,  daughter Patricia A. Casey-Campbell and her husband Dale, son John A. Casey and wife Donna, grandchildren Jonathan, Adrianna, and Justin,  great grandson Jacob, and many nieces and nephews.

Calling hours are Wednesday May 22 from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Douglass Funeral Service, Amherst.  A graveside service will be at WildwoodCemetery on Thursday May 23^rd at 1:30 p.m. Obituary and register at www.douglassfuneral.com.

Service details, Social networking, Memorial Guestbook and Slideshow are available here.

Judith Todd

AMHERST, Judith (Wilkinson) Todd, 71, of Amherst, died peacefully on May 9, 2013, at the Hospice of the Fisher Home in Amherst, MA, after a long illness. She was the daughter of Rose Wilkinson of Somerset, MA and the late Stanley Wilkinson. Judith graduated from B.M.C.DurfeeHigh School in Fall River, MA, where she lettered for 4 years in basketball and was class secretary. She obtained a B.S. degree in mathematics at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, in 1963 and taught the eighth grade in Somerset, MA. She married Robert Torla on December 28, 1963. In 1976, Judith received an M.S.B.A in accounting from the University of Massachusetts and then worked there until 1988 as the Assistant Controller for Grants and Contracts.  On July 4, 1981, she married David Todd.

Judith noticed and appreciated the small things in life, often picking four leafed clovers and handing them to others. She listened regularly to the BBC World Service and believed that we should know, and care about, what was happening in the whole world. Judith had a passion for justice and fairness and a wonderful sense of humor. She was in awe of no one, except perhaps the Queen of England, and had no patience for those who “were born on third base, and thought they had hit a home run.” Her favorite song was “Streets of London”, which calls us to count our blessings and to notice and care for those who are not so fortunate. She served on the Outreach and Mission Committee of Grace Episcopal Church, and for many years processed the applications for the Sidney F. Smith Toy Fund, appreciating that all donations went directly to recipients. She also volunteered at the Hospice Shop of the Fisher Home, which combined a worthy cause, her love of recycling good things that could still make people happy, and the chance to work together with friends.

In addition to her husband, David, and her mother, Rose, Judith is survived by her sister, Joyce Wilkinson of Manchester, CT, her sons Michael Torla of Chandler, AZ and Jason Torla of Seattle, WA, her step-children Jason Dunson Todd of Belfast, ME and Sara Todd Gooch of San Francisco, CA, and her cousin Jan Downey of Oxford, CT. She also leaves 6 beloved grandchildren: Jessica, James, and Christopher Torla; Malcolm and Stella Dunson Todd; and Hazel Gooch.

Judith’s passion, thoughtfulness, caring and sense of humor will be greatly missed by her family and her many friends.

A memorial service will be held on Saturday, June 1, at 2 p.m. at Grace Episcopal Church, Amherst, where Judith’s ashes will be placed in the Columbarium. Memorial donations may be made to the Sidney F. Smith Toy Fund through The Daily Hampshire Gazette, Doctors Without Borders (www.doctorswithoutborders.org), or the Hospice of the Fisher Home (www.fisherhome.org). Obituary and memorial register at www.douglassfuneral.com.

Service details, Social networking, Memorial Guestbook and Slideshow are available here.