It is with sadness we announce the passing of our mother, Claire L. Yezierski, 93 on October 2,
2022. She was born August 24, 1929 in Lynn Massachusetts. She moved to Hadley as a
teenager where she met and married the love of her life Jerome (Herman) Yezierski. They were
married for 65 years and raised 4 children. Claire was active in Hadley Mothers Club for 50
years and also served as president for 3 terms. She was a member of the Saint John’s Guild for
many years. Claire was a parishioner of Most Holy Redeemer were she sang in the choir for
many years and served as a Eucharist minister.
She leaves her son, Jerome R. Yezierski and his wife Donna of Hadley, daughter Maureen
Waskiewicz of Hadley, and daughter Joanne Thornton and her husband Paul of Belchertown, 8
grandchildren, 8 great grandchildren, and 3 great great grandchildren. Her 2 brothers Kenneth
Kushi (wife Carol) of Sunderland, and Karl Kushi (wife Joanie) of Southampton, and many
nieces and nephews.
Claire was predeceased by her husband Jerome (Herman) Yezierski, her daughter Michaeline
Yezierski and son-in-law Stephen Waskiewicz. Her sisters Shirley Lebaron, Sally Aldrich. Her
brothers Frank Reed, John Reed, James Reed and Ernest (Dewey) Reed.
In lieu of flowers donations may be given to Hadley Mothers Club, P.O. Box 672, Hadley Ma.
01035

Northampton, MA — Gloria P. Ferber, Ph.D., passed away peacefully on August 3, 2022, at the age of 84, with loved ones by her side. Cherished by her family and friends, Gloria enriched the lives of all who knew her and will be long remembered with love.

Gloria was born on May 11, 1938, in Bronx, NY, the daughter of Eastern European Jewish immigrants, the late Meyer Pearlman and Lillian (Alpert) Pearlman. She liked to quip that “you can take the girl out of the Bronx, but you can’t take the Bronx out of the girl.” A voracious reader with a passion for the arts, Gloria graduated from the High School of Music and Art and went on to earn a B.A. in fine arts in 1959 from the City College of New York, where she developed her talent as a painter.

In 1957, Gloria met the love of her life, the late Dr. Peter H. Ferber, when both were working as counselors at a summer camp for underprivileged youth. Two years later, they embarked upon a 54-year marriage, eventually settling in Rockland County, NY, where they raised their three children in a restored 19th century farmhouse. Gloria did projects with her children, became an accomplished potter and gourmet cook, cultivated gardens and friendships, and filled the house with the art treasures she and Peter loved to collect.

Aware of children struggling in the local school system and wanting to help, Gloria returned to graduate school to earn a master’s degree in special education from Bank Street College of Education in 1975. Gloria became well known in the community as a learning disabilities specialist. In 1977, Gloria and Peter co-founded the Center for Learning and Development (CLD) in New City, NY, a pioneering multidisciplinary center that provided integrated services for children with learning disabilities, which Gloria ran until 1989.

In 1988, at the age of 50, Gloria earned her Ph.D. in educational psychology from Teachers College, Columbia University, completed a re-specialization program in clinical psychology in 1990, and launched the second chapter of her career as a psychologist. Until her retirement in 2006, Gloria ran a successful clinical practice providing psychotherapy, comprehensive psychological and educational assessments, and consultation. She presented at conferences, led local professional associations, and taught and supervised graduate students as a faculty member of Bank Street College of Education. Over the course of her career, Gloria helped hundreds of children, teens, and adults develop the emotional resilience and social and academic skills they needed to thrive.

Gloria pursued her lifelong passion for the arts and culture with equal enthusiasm. She loved to frequent museums, craft fairs, theater, opera, concerts, and dance performances. A food connoisseur, Gloria delighted in sampling diverse cuisines on the local restaurant scene, as well as treating friends and family to the gourmet meals she cooked at home. She loved to travel with Peter, whether to a summer cottage on Martha’s Vineyard or to international destinations such as France, Italy, Turkey, and China. When Gloria retired and moved to Massachusetts in 2006, she took up painting again, creating landscape paintings that captured the natural beauty of her local surroundings.

A woman of impressive intellect, professional accomplishment, and artistic talent, what endeared Gloria to so many was her warmth, sensitivity, and kindness, her sense of humor and joie de vivre, and her gentle, loving ways. These never flagged during her long battle with Alzheimer’s, a challenge she handled with characteristic strength and grace.

Gloria was predeceased by her beloved husband Peter. Left with loving memories are her children Judy Ferber, Dan Ferber, and Ben Ferber (Aimee D’Onofrio), grandson Oliver, sister Ruth Sherman (Bill Sherman), and dear extended family of nieces, nephews, cousins, and lifelong friends.

A service was held at Wildwood Cemetery in Amherst, MA on August 10. A celebration of life will be held on Monday, October 10 at 12 noon in the Paradise Room at the Smith College Conference Center at 49 College Lane, Northampton, MA. To share a remembrance or offer a condolence, please visit Douglass Funeral Service at douglassfuneral.com. Contributions may be made in Gloria’s memory to the Alzheimer’s Association or a progressive charity of your choice.

Eleanor (Romaniello) Kachites

November 20,1921-August 24, 2022

Eleanor “Ellie” (Romaniello) Kachites, after 100 years’ journey running the good race, was called into God’s loving embrace on Wednesday, August 24, 2022 at home surrounded by her loving family. She was peaceful, humble, and considerate to the end.

The youngest in a family of 13 children, Ellie was born November 20, 1921 in Copiague, NY to Theresa (Mazzotti), a homemaker, and Gerardo Romaniello, a steamfitter on the Long Island Railway. Growing up during the depression, food and warm blankets were sometimes scarce. Throughout her many continuing hardships in life, Ellie remained filled with hope, modesty, and care for others. She left school at 9th grade to help support her family by working in a sewing factory. She later worked from home as a much-beloved seamstress, sewing or altering many dresses for brides, bridesmaids and flower girls. Her door was always open, the coffee pot always on, and she was always welcoming to her many adoring customers, neighbors, and friends, (from whom she received innumerable Christmas cards every year).  For the last 19 years of her life, she lived with her daughter Donna and family in Amherst MA, where she was a constant source of unconditional love, good spirits, and laughter to the entire household, as well as to friends new and old, ranging in age from 20s to 90s.

She was very proud to have reached 100 years old this past November.  When she needed some help, or asked for a special treat, she would sometimes say, “I can have that because I’m a hundred!”  When she would say something mysteriously wise, or when she was struggling with pain, she would sometimes say “When you are 100, then you’ll understand.”

Ellie is survived by her daughters Carol Meittinis, Janice Stevenson, and Donna Kachites McCallum, as well as her son-in-law, Andrew McCallum, her grandchildren Theo and Elle McCallum, Nicky (and Stephanie) and Jimmy Meittinis, and her great-grandchildren, Mathew and Nicholas Meittinis, Natalie and Tyler McGowan and her grand-son-in-law Steven McGowan, and also numerous nieces, nephews and friends who loved her dearly and with whom she stayed in touch all her life. Those by whom Ellie is predeceased include her husband Dimitrios “Jimmy” Kachites, her granddaughter Dina (Meittinis) McGown, her sons-in-law Louis Meittinis and Wally Stevenson, and all twelve of her dear sisters and brothers.

Visitation will be held at D’Andrea Bros. Funeral Home at 99 Oak St, Copiague, NY on Friday October 14, 2022 from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Funeral mass will be held on Saturday, October 15, 2022 at 9:00 a.m. at Our Lady of the Assumption Church, 1 Molloy Street, Copiague, NY, followed by burial at Saint Charles Cemetery, 2015 Wellwood Avenue, Farmingdale, NY.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to Experience Camps, https://experiencecamps.org, a national, no-cost program for grieving children who have experienced the death of a parent, sibling or primary caregiver, or to Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, https://www.mskcc.org.

We are sad to announce that Mary Frances Wall passed away September 22nd at the age of 84.  Fran died peacefully, surrounded by her loved ones, after years of declining health.

Fran was born in White Plains, NY to Dr. Frances Halstead and Dr. Gerald R Jameison, distinguished psychiatrists. She moved to Amherst in 1968 where she raised four children. Fran was a master gardener, an avid reader and a lover of travel, much of which she shared with her devoted husband, Byron Koh. She pursued her Masters in Social Work and had a long career as a clinical social worker, working for a variety of community mental health agencies, and later establishing her own successful counseling practice until she retired. She was a strong, fiercely independent woman, with a wicked sense of humor. Fran found her greatest happiness in the love for her children, her husband, and her friends. She is survived by her husband, Byron Koh and three children from a previous marriage:  Martha Wall, of Waltham, MA, Peter Wall, of Davie, FL and Susan Wall, of Belchertown, MA, her two grandchildren, Emily Wall of West Palm Beach, FL and Andrew Wall of Miami, FL, as well as a host of loving nieces and nephews and their families. At her request, there are no services planned at this time.  She will be interned in a private ceremony at Wildwood Cemetery with her late son, Timothy Wall.  Memorial guestbook at www.douglassfuneral.com

Northampton, MA — Gloria P. Ferber, Ph.D., passed away peacefully on August 3, 2022, at the age of 84, with loved ones by her side. Cherished by her family and friends, Gloria enriched the lives of all who knew her and will be long remembered with love.

Gloria was born on May 11, 1938, in Bronx, NY, the daughter of Eastern European Jewish immigrants, the late Meyer Pearlman and Lillian (Alpert) Pearlman. She liked to quip that “you can take the girl out of the Bronx, but you can’t take the Bronx out of the girl.” A voracious reader with a passion for the arts, Gloria graduated from the High School of Music and Art and went on to earn a B.A. in fine arts in 1959 from the City College of New York, where she developed her talent as a painter.

In 1957, Gloria met the love of her life, the late Dr. Peter H. Ferber, when both were working as counselors at a summer camp for underprivileged youth. Two years later, they embarked upon a 54-year marriage, eventually settling in Rockland County, NY, where they raised their three children in a restored 19th century farmhouse. Gloria did projects with her children, became an accomplished potter and gourmet cook, cultivated gardens and friendships, and filled the house with the art treasures she and Peter loved to collect.

Aware of children struggling in the local school system and wanting to help, Gloria returned to graduate school to earn a master’s degree in special education from Bank Street College of Education in 1975. Gloria became well known in the community as a learning disabilities specialist. In 1977, Gloria and Peter co-founded the Center for Learning and Development (CLD) in New City, NY, a pioneering multidisciplinary center that provided integrated services for children with learning disabilities, which Gloria ran until 1989.

In 1988, at the age of 50, Gloria earned her Ph.D. in educational psychology from Teachers College, Columbia University, completed a re-specialization program in clinical psychology in 1990, and launched the second chapter of her career as a psychologist. Until her retirement in 2006, Gloria ran a successful clinical practice providing psychotherapy, comprehensive psychological and educational assessments, and consultation. She presented at conferences, led local professional associations, and taught and supervised graduate students as a faculty member of Bank Street College of Education. Over the course of her career, Gloria helped hundreds of children, teens, and adults develop the emotional resilience and social and academic skills they needed to thrive.

Gloria pursued her lifelong passion for the arts and culture with equal enthusiasm. She loved to frequent museums, craft fairs, theater, opera, concerts, and dance performances. A food connoisseur, Gloria delighted in sampling diverse cuisines on the local restaurant scene, as well as treating friends and family to the gourmet meals she cooked at home. She loved to travel with Peter, whether to a summer cottage on Martha’s Vineyard or to international destinations such as France, Italy, Turkey, and China. When Gloria retired and moved to Massachusetts in 2006, she took up painting again, creating landscape paintings that captured the natural beauty of her local surroundings.

A woman of impressive intellect, professional accomplishment, and artistic talent, what endeared Gloria to so many was her warmth, sensitivity, and kindness, her sense of humor and joie de vivre, and her gentle, loving ways. These never flagged during her long battle with Alzheimer’s, a challenge she handled with characteristic strength and grace.

Gloria was predeceased by her beloved husband Peter. Left with loving memories are her children Judy Ferber, Dan Ferber, and Ben Ferber (Aimee D’Onofrio), grandson Oliver, sister Ruth Sherman (Bill Sherman), and dear extended family of nieces, nephews, cousins, and lifelong friends.

A service was held at Wildwood Cemetery in Amherst, MA on August 10. A celebration of life will be held on Monday, October 10 at 12 noon in the Paradise Room at the Smith College Conference Center at 49 College Lane, Northampton, MA. To share a remembrance or offer a condolence, please visit Douglass Funeral Service at douglassfuneral.com. Contributions may be made in Gloria’s memory to the Alzheimer’s Association or a progressive charity of your choice.

Elizabeth Ann (Fox) Heath, age 64 of Amherst Ma passed away at Care One Redstone of East Longmeadow, on Thursday, September 22, 2022 following a short illness. She was born on December 2 1957 in Holyoke Ma, daughter of the late Francis R. and Margret (Banks) Fox and was a graduate of Amherst Regional High School. Beth worked for over thirty-five years as a personal representative for Encharter Insurance, formerly Blair Cutting & Smith Insurance. She is the widow of Leslie Heath who predeceased her in 2018. She is survived by her brother, retired Chief of Police of Belchertown Ma, Francis R Fox Jr, and her nieces, Kristen Fox and her partner, James Guay of Boston Ma and Courtney (Fox) LeBeau  and her husband Zachary Lebeau of Ludlow Ma ,and step son Leslie Heath of Holyoke Ma, she also leaves uncles Timothy Banks and his wife Joan of Amherst Ma, and William Banks and his wife Catherine of Springfield Ma, aunts Helen Banks of Belmont Ma and Marjorie Lawrence of West Springfield Ma. Cousins Michael Banks and Michelle (Banks) Venturelli both of Arlington Ma, Teresa Banks of Canaan NH, Daniel Banks of Amherst Ma, Sharon (Banks) Chapman of Star Idaho, Tom Lawrence of Naples Fla, James Lawrence of West Springfield Ma and Sheila Lawrence of Holyoke Ma and brother-in-law Richard Heath and John Heath and sister-in-law Donna Heath.

            In addition to her parents and husband she was predeceased by uncles Robert and Richard Banks, Thomas Lawrence, and Raymond and Father James Fox as well as cousins Paul, Tim, and Kevin Banks.

            Beth was very generous to her family and friends and very devoted to her family. She especially enjoyed the holidays eating out with her brother, nieces, and close friends even though it was very difficult for her to do with severe mobility issues.

            The family would like to express thanks to Jean Wysocki, Mark Woyner and Kevin Dyba who gave selflessly of their time to assist her during the past four years.

            Family and friends are invited to gather at the Douglass Funeral Home of Amherst on Wednesday September 28^th from 5p to 7p for visitation. A Mass of Christian burial will be held on Thursday September 29 at 10:00 AM at St Brigid’s Parish in Amherst. Burial will follow at Wildwood Cemetery in Amherst.

Memorial Contributions may be made to Hospice of the Fisher Home 1155 North Pleasant Street Amherst Ma Memorial guestbook at www.douglassfuneral.com

Mary Teresa Mireault (Cashman) of Amherst Massachusetts passed away on September 21, 2022 at the age of 80. Mary was born on February 4, 1942, in Holyoke Ma. to Mary Cashman (Kelley) and John Cashman.

Mary grew up in Amherst and graduated from ARHS in 1960. She went right to work for Dr Hogan and then UMass Public Health. She retired from UMass as the Undergraduate Secretary of Nursing. She was a devout catholic and volunteered her time to Birthright. She met her best friend Kenneth Mireault at a dance in Amherst and married shortly after. They were married 61 years. Together they raised 7 wonderful children, whom adored their mother.

She was a devoted wife and mother, in addition, she was a loving and supportive Nana to 9 grandchildren.

Mary was the rock of her family. She was a friend to everyone she ever met.

She enjoyed working at the Farm Stand and always on the run

She loved spending time with her family at cookouts; she made the best beans and always cooked enough for a small army.

She will forever be loved and missed by her loving husband Kenneth Mireault, and children, Michelle Lazarz, Kenneth Mireault (Jr), Teresa Giordano (Jeff), Suzanne Longto (Keith), Laurie Dove (David), Christopher Mireault (Sherri, and Kathleen Foster (David). Mary was predeceased by her loving brother, Jack Cashman.

She may be gone from this earth, but she will never be forgotten.  Her love and devotion to her family and friends made this world a better place.

Her grandchildren Danielle & Tyler Lazarz; Michael, Mary & Mathew Longto; Nicholas & Christopher Foster; John & Miles Mireault will always be honored and blessed to have Nana by their side now and forever.

 A Mass of Christian burial will be held on Tuesdsay September 27, 10:00 AM in St. Brigid’s Church, Amherst. Burial will follow in St. Brigid’s Cemetery, Hadley. Calling hours will be Monday from 4 – 7 PM at the Douglass Funeral Service, Amherst. Memorial guestbook at www.douglassfuneral.com

In lieu of flowers: It is Marys wish that donations be made to the St. Brigids Church.

Jean grew up in Westfield and graduated from Westfield High School as Class Valedictorian in 1948 and worked in retail and then as secretary to the president of the United States Whip Company. She met the love of her life and married Arthur Mundt of Agawam on April 25, 1953 and the newlyweds bought a home in West Springfield where they raised their daughter, Dr. Diane J. Mundt (d. 2013) and son, Dr. Kenneth A. Mundt, now in Amherst. They later moved to Hadley to be close to their grandchildren Dr. Sarah E. Poteat (now in Colorado), Amanda K. Mundt (d. 2013) and Zachary K. Mundt (now in Texas).

Jean and Arthur were charter members of Grace Lutheran Church in West Springfield, where Jean served as secretary and taught Sunday School for many years. Jean later served as secretary to the Treasurer of the New England Synod of the Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod, in Springfield. After moving to Hadley, Jean and Arthur joined St. Peter’s Lutheran Church in Holyoke.

Jean, Arthur and the family loved Cape Cod and vacationed there almost every summer since 1960. In 1985, they built their own vacation home in North Eastham and loved spending long weekends there year-round.

Jean and Arthur celebrated their 68^th anniversary in 2021, and Arthur passed away in January of 2022. Jean is survived also by her sister Marilyn Tomlinson of Springfield and brother Donald Symancyk of Westfield. Jean was a loving and supportive sister, mother and grandmother, and forever will be beloved for her kindness, generosity, grace and strength.

A private memorial gathering and burial will be held with family and close friends. Donations in Jean’s honor would be welcomed by the University of Massachusetts Dr. Diane J. Mundt Memorial Scholarship or other charity of your choice. 

Dona Drumm Motts, an environmental and civic advocate, passed away peacefully in Amherst September 2nd, aged 95. She fought to create and protect local conservation areas and staunchly defended the democratic process.

Born to postal worker Ernest H. Drumm and Swedish immigrant Olga “Marie” Hendrickson in Pipestone, MN, Dona delivered war telegrams and worked as a telephone operator while attending Pipestone High School. After graduating salutatorian in 1945, she departed for the University of Minnesota (UMN) – the first person in her family to graduate from college. At UMN Dona also met her future husband, Ward Motts. They married in 1951 after Ward completed his MS in geology and Dona her BA in sociology.

The next ten years were a whirlwind of moves and new starts. In Chico, CA Dona earned her teaching certificate from Chico State College, taught English, and coached basketball at the local high school. At Champaign-Urbana IL their first child, Paul, was born (in 1955) and Ward earned his Ph.D in geology. In Roswell, NM, Dona’s focus shifted from underprivileged children in Minneapolis to the plight of migrant children along the US-Mexico border. She completed her MSW from UMN in 1957 while caring for Paul and working with migrant families in New Mexico. Daughter Greta was born in Albuquerque in 1960. The beauty of the Southwest and concern for clean water (Ward’s life-work) ignited a passion for conservation and environmental activism.

Following a brief stint at the University of Oklahoma the family moved to Amherst in the fall of 1961, with Ward joining UMass as associate professor of geology. Dona quickly became involved in Amherst affairs through Toastmasters, Great Books, AAUW and LWV. She and Ward fell in love with the beauty of the Pioneer Valley and resolved to protect its wetlands and natural areas. Employed by Children’s Aid and Family Service in Northampton, she helped resettle Cuban families fleeing oppression. Dona considered this one of the most rewarding times of her life and was immensely proud when one of her charges later became a district judge.

As chair of the Amherst Conservation Commission Dona helped create new conservation areas, facing down the threat of rampant development and even a million-dollar lawsuit from developers. Both she and Ward worked to protect the watershed area of Lawrence Swamp. In 1970 Dona became a founding member of the Kestrel Trust, conserving farmland and sensitive wetland habitat in the Pioneer Valley. As LWV president she hosted constituent meet-and-greets for local legislators. She served Amherst Town Meeting as an elected member. The call to higher education led her to an M.Ed in secondary school counseling from UMass in 1979. She also joined the Hampshire Choral Society from 1975 until 1995, participating in tours to Romania and England.

In the 1980’s Dona was hired as Secretary to the Watershed Citizen’s Advisory Committee (WSCAC) and worked for ten years to protect the Quabbin watershed. Continuing to serve during retirement, Dona was a chair exercise instructor at the Amherst Senior Center until age 92. She spent her last years at Rockridge Retirement Community in Northampton.

Ward and Dona traveled extensively throughout their lives, exposing their children to the wonders of the National Parks as well as art and music. They took a variety of classes through Five College Learning in Retirement into their 80’s. Exposure to the arts and natural beauty guided their two children to careers in the National Park Service and in the arts.

Dona exemplified the values of Greatest Generation. She believed in putting the social good before everything else, even when it called for sacrifice. Thanks to Dona, Amherst is graced with beautiful conservation areas, strong civic ties, and clean water.

Dona leaves son Paul and his wife Gretchen; daughter Greta and her husband Dana Birkby, with their children Alicia and Michael and great-grandson Jeffrey. Also nephew David Drumm, niece Mary Drumm Sikora, plus great-nieces and nephews. Her husband Ward, brother Ernest Drumm Jr., and nephew Douglas Drumm preceded her in death.

A private burial was held at Wildwood Cemetery on September 10th. A memorial service for both Dona and Ward is planned at South Congregational Church in South Amherst, November 5th, 2022 at 2:00 PM, reception to follow.  Remembrances may be made to the Kestrel Trust. Memorial guestbook at www.douglassfuneral.com

It is with great sadness that we report the death of Betty Steele Romer, Amherst College’s former Director of Academic Computing. She died peacefully at her home in Amherst at age 92 on August 18, 2022. Betty was born in New York City to Natalie and Jack Sternberg on June 26, 1930. She graduated from the Brooklyn Technical High School and then enrolled at Rutgers University (Douglass College at the time). She completed her undergraduate studies at Wayne State University (Michigan), earning a BA in Mathematics and English Literature. Her career began at the dawn of the computer age with positions at Chrysler, and Bendix Aviation, and then Bell Labs. In 1968 Betty joined Amherst College as a part-time employee to oversee the newly acquired IBM 1130 computer. From this humble start, over the next 28 years she built Amherst’s academic computing program, guiding it through the evolution of computer technology as it progressed from mainframes to personal computers. Through her inclusive, driving, and visionary leadership she served generations of students and faculty, ultimately influencing the lives and careers of many. See https://www.amherst.edu/library/archives/holdings/friends-of-the-library-oral-histories/betty-romer.

In 1996 she retired from Amherst to pursue her lifelong interest in art by enrolling in the docent program at Hartford’s Wadsworth Atheneum. She became a leading docent at area art museums including the Springfield Museums, where she served for over 15 years. Betty is recalled by her colleagues as an extraordinary docent who was incredibly engaged, curious, and studious and a true educator — an exceptional ambassador for the Museums. In addition to giving tours, she was part of an outreach program whose objective was to take art presentations “on the road”. At the time of her death, she had just delivered presentations on Barnes and Piranesi.

Betty will be remembered as a truly gifted person, an innovator who was ahead of her time, and someone who cared deeply about making a difference and helping others. She was an inspiration to her friends and family, and will be greatly missed. She is survived by her loving husband of 28 years, Robert Romer, her son Neil Goodzeit and his wife Frances of Devon, PA, her grandson Elliot of Annapolis MD, her brother Joseph Sternberg of Southbury, CT, and her three stepsons, Evan, David, and Theodore Romer. She was preceded in death by her daughter Alison Goodzeit Aller. Memorial guestbook at www.douglassfuneral.com