DORIS MENTES

AMHERST, MA, Doris (Metz) Mentes, 93, a longtime resident of Hasbrouck Heights, NJ, died Jan. 23, at the Center for Extended Care at Amherst. Born in Hasbrouck Heights on Dec. 3, 1919, she was the daughter of the late Eugene and Helene (Berger) Metz. She was predeceased by her husband William Mentes. Doris is survived by her daughter Beverly Bachand, her son William Mentes and his wife Margrethe and two grandchildren. Obituary and memorial register at www.douglassfuneral.com.

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

Lillian E. Goralski

1934 - 2013

Amherst, Lillian E. Goralski, 78, an Amherst native, died Monday unexpectedly. Lillian was a 

much beloved mother,grandmother, and great-grandmother. She is survived by her two daughters, 

Linda Maile-Smith and husband John of Holyoke, MA and Diane Dudkiewicz and husband Ignatius

 of Saco, ME, and a sister, Pauline Clark of CA as well as her grandchildren, Daniel, 

Nicole, Aimee, and Jessica and seven great-grandchildren. She is preceded in death by three

 children, Donita, Leon, and Stephen. 

Lillian will be remembered as a loving, caring and kind individual who always thought of others

 before herself. She was an avid reader, loved her gardens, birds, needlework, and had a great 

love of trains. She will be missed by all. Lillian had a decidedly positive outlook on life 

despite multiple obstacles and her children will remember her as the best mother on the earth.

 A memorial service will be held at Douglass Funeral Service, 87 N. Pleasant St., Amherst,

  on Monday, Jan. 28th, at 10:00 a.m. burial will follow in Holy Rosary cemetery, Hadley. 

Donations in Lillian's memory may be made to either the American Heart Association

 or the Sidney F. Smith Toy Fund c/o The Daily Hampshire Gazette. 

Obituary and memorial register at www.douglassfuneral.com

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

Obituary

Florence Andersen Davis

March 16, 1915 – January 20, 2013

            Amherst,Florence Andersen Davis was always a woman of adventure. In 1936, she left her family in Omaha, NE, to travel to Baltimore, MD, at the age of 21 to begin her secretarial position with the recently formed Social Security Administration. She continued her service with Social Service, advancing from Grade 1 to Grade 11, until her retirement at age 62. Florence received many achievement rewards while working for the Federal Government, including the Director’s Citation Award for Exception Administrative Service.

            She met and married E. Carlton Davis in 1939. They had three children; a daughter (Karla), who lived just 2 days, a son, Gary, (wife-Starr), of Amherst, MA, and a second daughter, Carol, (husband Paul Norton), of Newport News, VA. She is survived by her son and daughter, her five grandchildren— Eric, Kenny, Joshua, Heather, & Bethany. She is further survived by six great-grandchildren— Tyler, West, ‘Bekah, Jaxon, Duke, & Kahleigh.

            Her life was defined by her genuine and vibrant walk with Jesus Christ. Her heart and life were constantly engaged in serving others. She taught Sunday School for the better part of her life. Over 25 years, she served twice as the Chairman of the Christian Business and Professional Women’s Clubs of Baltimore, Maryland. Her focus was constantly on leading and guiding others through the Christian Scriptures to her Lord Jesus. Sheloved her Lord…, and her deserts!

            A Memorial Service will be held at the College Church, 58 Pomeroy Terrace, in Northampton, MA, on FRIDAY, 25 January 2013, at 1:00 p.m. Call the Church office for details— 413.586-0057. Obituary and memorial register at www.douglassfuneral.com

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

BRUCE R. OLDERSHAW

AMHERST, Bruce R. Oldershaw, 81, died on January 16^th after a long illness. Bruce was a retired educator and a retired Lt. Col. in the Westfield Air National Guard. Bruce will be greatly missed by his wife Virginia, son Alan, daughters Brenda and Sharon and 5 grandchildren; Diane, Craig, Austin, Anthony and Evan.

Calling hours will be Monday, Jan. 21, from 4-6 pm at the Douglass Funeral Service, Amherst. A graveside service will be held on Tuesday, January 22, at 11:00 am at Pine Hill Cemetery, Westfield. Obituary and memorial register at www.douglassfuneral.com.

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

BRUCE R. OLDERSHAW

AMHERST, Bruce R. Oldershaw, 81, died on January 16^th after a long illness. Bruce was a retired educator and a retired Lt. Col. in the Westfield Air National Guard. Bruce will be greatly missed by his wife Virginia, son Alan, daughters Brenda and Sharon and 5 grandchildren; Diane, Craig, Austin, Anthony and Evan.

Calling hours will be Monday, Jan. 21, from 4-6 pm at the Douglass Funeral Service, Amherst. A graveside service will be held on Tuesday, January 22, at 11:00 am at Pine Hill Cemetery, Westfield. Obituary and memorial register at www.douglassfuneral.com.

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

RUTH WEBER

AMHERST, Ruth (Harris) Weber, 88, of Amherst, passed away peacefully on January 6, 2013. Born on August 29, 1924, in Winchendon, MA, she was the daughter of the late George A. and Edith (Bemis) Harris. Ruth worked as a baker at the Crocker Farm School and was a member of the South Congregational Church. She was predeceased by her husband William Weber. Ruth is survived by her two sons William and Richard, four grandchildren and one great grandchild. She will be greatly missed by her family and friends. Funeral services will be Friday, January 11^th at 10:00 a.m. at the South Congregational Church with private burial following in Riverside Cemetery, Winchendon. Calling hours will be Thursday, January 10^th, from 5-7 p.m. 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.

EMILY J. FIELD

LEVERETT, Emily J. (McCullough) Field, 64, a longtime resident of Leverett, passed away on January 8, 2013, at home surrounded by her family.

She was born February 6, 1948 in Northampton, MA, to Samuel I. and Christine (Woodard) McCullough.

Emily spent her childhood in Leverett and attended Leverett and Amherst schools. She graduated from Bridgewater-Raynham Regional High School where she played varsity softball. She then went on to pursue an RN from Elliot Community College School of Nursing in Keene, NH in 1969.

In 1968, she married John R. Field and had four children: Kimberley, Amy, Jeffrey and Tracey.

Emily started her career at Cozy Corner Nursing Home in Sunderland, worked at Kaiser Permanente in Amherst from 1987 to 1988, then returned to Cozy Corner where she served over 20 years as the director of nursing, dedicating her life to the care of others.

She led a busy and productive life, spending time with her beloved grandchildren and their many activities. Family gatherings were always very important to her. She enjoyed camping and traveling, gardening, bird watching, kayaking, sewing and reading. She was an avid Red Sox and Patriots fan.

She is survived by her loving husband John, daughter Kimberley and husband Garry Myers of Russell, MA; daughter Amy and husband David Rice; son Jeffrey and wife Jennifer, all of Leverett; and daughter Tracey of South Deerfield. She leaves a sister, Kate Moruzzi and husband John of Leverett, a brother Robert McCullough and wife Phyllis of Kennebunk, ME; seven grandchildren; several nieces, nephews, aunts, uncles and cousins in the area.

Funeral services will be Saturday, January 12th, at 10:00 a.m. at the Douglass Funeral Service, Amherst with burial following in East Leverett Cemetery. Calling hours will be Friday from 5-8 pm at the Douglass Funeral Service.

In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to Hospice of Franklin County, 329 Conway Street, Greenfield, MA 01301 or Leverett Congregational Church, PO Box 324, Leverett, MA 01054. Obituary and memorial register at www.douglassfuneral.com.

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

JEFFREY EISMAN

HADLEY, Jeffrey Eisman of Hadley, MA, passed away at his home on January 7, 2013, following a long and courageous battle with Multiple System Atrophy.  He was born in Springfield, Mass., on November 4, 1942, and was a graduate of the University of Massachusetts, and Tufts University Dental School. Jeff and his partner, Richard Stevens, founded Amherst Dental Group in the early 1970s.  Jeff held a special spot in his heart over the years for staff and patients alike, many of whom continued to express their love with cards, letters, and visits far into his retirement. 

 Jeff was an avid fly-fisherman who always loved exploring every bend in the river, whether in western Massachusetts, Alaska, or South America.  He was known to friends and family for his wit and ever-present sense of humor.  His talent for telling stories and jokes delighted everyone who knew him.  Jeff also was a lover of the arts – a regular at the Amherst Cinema and Mass MOCA, a former board member of WFCR, and a patron of musical and theatrical performances.  Jeff loved his Amherst coffee circle – first at the Black Sheep, then at Rao’s – as well as his men’s group and book group, and countless other friends.  Jeff’s wide-ranging curiosity, sharp memory, and interest in politics, culture, and world events never waned; his DVR remains crammed with Charlie Rose and Fareed Zakaria programs. 

He never forgot a tooth in a patient’s mouth, a friend in need, or where his priorities lay.  He leaves behind his wife, Eve, of Hadley; his son, Benjamin, of Washington, D.C.; his brother, Wayne Eisman, and sister-in-law, Susan Eisman, of Scarsdale, NY; and many loving cousins, brothers and sisters in law, nephews, nieces, and friends.  He will be dearly, dearly missed.

The funeral service will be held, today, Wednesday, January 9, 2013, at 11:00 a.m., at the Jewish Community of Amherst, located at 742 Main Street. Burial will follow in the Jewish Community of Amherst Cemetery, Shutesbury.  Calling hours will be immediately after the service on Wednesday, as well as Thursday evening, at the Eisman residence, 10 Hillside Drive, Hadley. Obituary and memorial register at www.douglassfuneral.com.   

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

Joseph Tarallo

1925 – 2012

Leeds, Joseph Tarallo, age 87, passed away on December 28, 2012. Born in Lawrence, MA on Feb. 14, 1925, he was the son of Gaspare and Josephine {Marino} Tarallo. He lived in Valley Stream, Long Island, N.Y. for many years, maintaining a private plumbing and heating business, until retiring to Amherst in 1991.

He leaves his wife, Mary, of Amherst, MA, three daughters and their husbands, Judy and Brian McNamara of Amherst, Jan and Tony Nappo of Westtown, NY, and JoEllen and Jay Falk of Brattleboro, VT, as well as six grandchildren, Kate and Evan McNamara, Anthony and Nick Nappo and Jessica and Carter Falk.

Joe played the violin and harmonica, loved music of all sorts, and drew great pleasure from studying and discussing U.S. and world history. He was active in Democratic Party activities throughout his lifetime and was a faithful parishioner at Olivet Baptist Church in Valley Stream, Long Island and the First Congregational Church in Amherst.

Burial will be private. A family celebration of life will be held this spring. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests a contribution to the Alzheimer’s Association, the First Congregational Church of Amherst, or Overlook at Northampton, where Joe received tender care during his last months of life. Obituary and memorial register at www.douglassfuneral.com.

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

JOHN H. MADIGAN

 NORTHAMPTON, John H. Madigan, 61, went to be with his parents, Henry and Genevieve (Morse), after suffering from a long illness. He leaves his brother, James of Conway, his sister Mary Lou of Amherst and several nieces and nephews. A graveside service will be held on Tuesday, Jan. 8, at 10:00 a.m. in St. Brigid’s Cemetery, Hadley. Calling hours will be Monday, Jan. 7, from 5 – 7 p.m. at the Douglass Funeral Service, Amherst. Memorial donations may be made to the VNA & Hospice of Cooley Dickinson, 168 Industrial Dr., Northampton, MA 01060. Obituary and memorial register at www.douglassfuneral.com.

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