Belchertown, MA. – David Philip Hanscom of Gulf Road, Belchertown passed away peacefully at the Baystate Medical Center on February 9th following a brief illness.

He was born on October 9, 1940 in Holyoke, MA., the only child of Lloyd and Stella (Tokarz) Hanscom. His earliest childhood years were spent at the Hadley Court in Amherst. The small farm was eventually taken by eminent domain for the construction of the southwest University of Massachusetts dormitories. The family relocated to Huntington Road in Hadley. At an early age, he was indoctrinated into the life of Hadley farming by his step-father and mentor Walter Kraska. His family purchased land in Belchertown where they built a cabin and pond. This land, named Lasu Ranch, is still enjoyed today by his family.

David graduated from Amherst High School in 1959 where he was an accomplished athlete in football and basketball. David led his basketball team to a “Small School Tournament Championship” his senior season. After graduation, he made the decision to enlist in the United States Navy. He pursued his chosen field of electricity, a topic that had always held his interest and attention and which earned him the designation of EM2. His travels aboard the U.S.S. Lloyd Thomas took him to far-away places in the Mediterranean and the Middle East. Following his discharge from the Navy, he spent one year with the Merchant Marines.

Upon completion, he returned to the Amherst area. He then joined the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, Local 7, and was soon employed by Springfield Electric Company. It was during the mid 1970’s that he set off on his own and Gulf Electric was “born”. His new business consisted of residential work in the Amherst area.

The clever, intuitive, hardworking man was always challenged by his self-driven inventiveness. He single handedly constructed numerous single family homes, as well as a saw mill, a waterwheel to produce electricity for his home, and a houseboat. While the houseboat made trips up and down the Connecticut River, it was often anchored in the pond at the Lasu Ranch and used as a high diving board for his grandchildren and their friends. 

David always made time to enjoy life. In his early years, David enjoyed racing cars and snowmobiles with his best friend, Donny Shepard.  A favorite summer pastime for him, as well as his family and friends, was boating and water skiing on Lake Wyola. In recent times, he enjoyed spending time with his family at the camp, and could be seen riding his “electric bicycle” throughout western Massachusetts.

Once David became a grandfather in 2002, he was affectionately known as Dziadziu.  He was a faithful follower of all the sporting events of his four grandchildren. Whether it was ice hockey, cross country, baseball, lacrosse, snocross, basketball or gymnastics, he never missed a chance to watch his grandchildren compete. 

David will be greatly missed by his sons Gregory, Douglas and his wife Deborah, grandchildren Thea, Macayla, Johnathan and Mathew, sister Nancy Crossley, dear companion and friend Patricia Grybko and his former wife Linda Campbell Hanscom. He was predeceased by his father Lloyd Hanscom, his mother Stella Tokarz Kraska, his step-father Walter Kraska, his beloved aunt Helen Tokarz, and Marie Ann Kopacz, partner and companion of twenty-five years.

In lieu of flowers, please consider Dziadziu’s rules to live by: Walk softly but carry a big stick, fix it yourself, mind your own business, don’t worry about breaking the rules, and thank a veteran.  Finally, don’t miss an opportunity to watch your grandchildren play sports.  

A celebration of David’s life will be held in the warm weather of summer 2022.

Memorial register at www.douglassfuneral.com

Kathleen C. Dalton, beloved wife, mother and friend entered eternal rest on February12, 2022 at home surrounded by the family that cherished her.  Kathy’s legacy is the way her family loves and cares for each other every day.

Born on March 14, 1931 in Woonsocket, Rhode Island to Raymond and Maude Connell, she enjoyed a loving childhood and was raised with her sister, Joanne. They frequented Fairmount Park, where Kathleen loved playing volleyball.  After graduating from Woonsocket High School, she began her career with New England Telephone and Telegraph until she married the love of her life, John Dalton (Jack) on August 21, 1954.  Jack’s career in education led them to Lowville, Syracuse and Glens Falls, NY, finally settling in Amherst, Massachusetts in 1965 where they raised their four children.

Kathy was a consummate homemaker, cook, gardener and bridge player while she lovingly cared for her family. Once the  children were in junior high school, Kathy returned to work and was the parish secretary at St. Bridget’s Church and then the administrative assistant to the Chair of the Math Department at UMass Amherst. Kathy had many friends including professors, staff, and students who appreciated her competence and kindness. Her exceptional skills were acknowledged by her receipt of the Chancellor’s Award which recognized truly outstanding  performance by university staff.

Kathy is a long time member of the Newman community where she enjoyed attending Mass, serving as a Eucharistic Minister, attending social events, and volunteering. 

Kathy leaves her beloved husband of 67 years, John R. Dalton, her sister Joanne M. Connell of East Providence, Rhode Island and four children:  John of Sydney, Australia (Kelsey and Reed); David and wife Lynn of Golden, Colorado (Hilary and Patrick Freeman, Matthew and great grandson Charlie); Trish Kozlowski and husband Paul of Lunenburg, MA (Emily and Steven Kemner, and Jake Kozlowski) and Ann MacKay and husband Rob of Berlin (Ryan Mackay, Alex MacKay, Cory MacKay and great grandson Tyler).

Kathy graciously lived with vascular dementia for over 16 years.  Her husband, Jack, was by her side every step of the way providing the most amazing care and support and often utilizing many of his skills as an educator.  It would have been impossible to care for Kathy at home until her final days without the exceptional and loving care of Mary Jane Scott who led a team of very special  caregivers. Our family is forever grateful for this gift.

A Memorial Mass at the Newman Center will be held on Wednesday February 16th at 10am to celebrate Kathleen’s life.  In lieu of flowers, gifts may be made to Cooley Dickinson Hospice in recognition of the outstanding compassionate care provided by Charlene and Karen. Memorial guestbook at www.douglassfuneral.com

Dr. James H. David, 88, of Amherst, MA passed away on February 6, 2022, surrounded by his family.

Dr. David was born in Waltham, MA to James Vernon and Clara Hubbard David.

He attended the University of Massachusetts – Amherst (U-Mass), earning a PhD in Entomology. During that time, he earned the rank of Captain in the Army Reserves. He began his career at Geigy Chemical Company, which later became Novartis. He retired from his corporate job in 1973 to pursue an entrepreneurial career in real estate.

At U-Mass, he was a member of Phi Mu Delta and of the university’s first lacrosse team. Throughout his life he loved attending U-Mass sporting events with his family and friends. He built a small cottage colony on Cape Cod and enjoyed investing in the stock market. He was a man with a big heart who touched many lives and was very generous to those less fortunate.

He is survived by his wife of 60 years, Jaqueline of Amherst; his daughter, Deanna Piotrowski and her husband Michael of Ellington, CT; his daughter, Lisa David of Richmond, VA and her husband John Garle; his son, James David and his wife Astrid of Amherst, MA; and 8 grandchildren.

Arrangements are with Douglass Funeral Home in Amherst, MA. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to U-Mass Lacrosse at https://minutefund.umass.edu/project/21202/donate or the Hospice Foundation at https://hospicefoundation.org/Donate

Elaine Louise Walker, passed away Sunday, January 30th, 2022, at home surrounded by her loved ones after 83 wonderful years of life.

Elaine was born March 3, 1938, in Minneapolis, Minnesota, to Louise and Ingval Paulson. She studied at the University of Minnesota, where she met and married the love of her life, James (Jim) Walker, who she was married to for 56 years until his passing in 2015.

Elaine will be lovingly missed by her children, Steve and his wife Jamie (Stein) of Chapel Hill, North Carolina, and Anita Walker of Fort Collins, Colorado. She also leaves six grandchildren and one great grandchild, Maggie, Jessie, Meghan, Brandon, Alex, Tommy and Capri. She is preceded in death by her son Ted, and husband Jim.

She will be remembered for so many things, but most widely for her beautiful voice, and for her considerable talent as a dressmaker. She was a central figure in the Valley Light Opera (VLO) since 1980, where she has played many roles, including head of the costume crew, producer, chorus member and costume designer. At St. Bridget’s in Amherst, she was a long standing member of the choir. She cantored, and sang at weddings and funeral masses. Over the years she has sewn bridal gowns and dresses for many in the Amherst community, worked for the Hampshire College theater department helping students create costumes, and sang in the Newman Center Choir.

Elaine’s ability to bring people together was truly remarkable. Her selfless work in costuming, singing, and education united and strengthened the Amherst community as a whole, yet it’s the small warm moments with Elaine that are most cherished by those who knew her – from something as simple as her turkey casseroles, always so eagerly anticipated at family gatherings, to her encouraging and patient smiles teaching her grandchildren to sew for the first time. Elaine’s caring empathy has left a profound impact on her friends, family, and Amherst community. It is that love and empathy which now lives on in all whose lives she touched.

In lieu of flowers, please send donations to the Myotonic Dystrophy Foundation at www.myotonic.org/donate, or the Valley Light Opera at www.VLO.org.

Born April 15^th, 1929 to William “Pop” Clark and Mulvine “Molly” (Ponusky) Clark, Bill showed a tireless work ethic from an early age. Whether picking blueberries, mowing lawns, or playing sports at Amherst High School where he graduated in 1947, his dedication and energy was unmatched. Though he spent years logging wood, owning school buses and delivering newspapers for the Springfield Union, Bill found his true calling and established W.W. Clark Excavating with a hand shovel, a dump truck and the determination of a man destined for success.  Over the next 65 years, with the help of sons William and Dennis, W.W. Clark Excavating flourished into a trusted and successful company providing services throughout Western Massachusetts.

Bill was quite active in town affairs as well. He served on the Recreation Board, Equipment Purchasing Committees and with the Fire and Police Departments. Bill was Gypsy Moth Superintendent and also Assistant Superintendent of Streets from 1957 to 1970. A particular point of pride was the construction of the Shutesbury Athletic Club in 1964. The club was built on land donated by Mike Plaza with all work accomplished by volunteers from the first Shutesbury Softball team and became a focal point of the community.

Despite the long hours building his business, Bill had many hobbies over the years including auto mechanics, stock car racing, playing softball for the Shutesbury Athletic Club, snowmobiling, camping, fishing and spending time at his cabin in Vermont. In 1990, Bill organized and sponsored a softball team that won several local tournaments and state championships. The highlight for the team was a trip to Alabama where they placed 7^th in the country. Though much of his long life was dedicated to business, William W. Clark always made time for family gatherings and took great pleasure in the many birthday celebrations and holiday meals hosted with his wife.

In addition to his wife Virginia, Bill is survived by son William W. Clark Jr. and wife Mary of Shutesbury, daughter Christine (Clark) Laflamme and husband John of Northampton, and son Dennis W. Clark and partner Marianna Branche of Shutesbury. His is also survived by sister Phyllis (Clark) Cote of Shutesbury, sister-in-law Blanche Clark of Shutesbury and is pre-deceased by sister Geraldine (Clark) Goodhind, and brother Melvin Clark.

His grandchildren include Rebecca (Clark) Casagrande and husband Jason of Pelham, Cynthia (Clark) Pickering and husband Jeffrey of Amherst, Brett Laflamme and wife Kathy of Belchertown, Amy (Laflamme) Swartz and husband Timothy of Maryland, and Carleigh, Shelby and Landon Clark of South Deerfield. Bill also leaves behind 11 great grandchildren.

Walk-through calling hours will be held on Friday, February 11^th at Douglass Funeral Home in Amherst from 4pm-7pm. The family is conducting a private burial but plans to hold a Celebration of Life later this spring.

In lieu of flowers, contributions in William W. Clark’s name can be made to the charity of your choice. Memorial guestbook at www.douglassfuneral.com

Arthur Butman “Pete” Pickering of Amherst, Massachusetts born February 1, 1927 passed on February 1, 2022 at age 95.  Son of William Stanley Pickering and Dorothy Pickering, Pete served the Town of Amherst and Western Massachusetts as a Master Plumber and Owner-Operator of W.S. Pickering & Son, Inc.  He was a long time Town Meeting Member, served on the Finance Committee, Ambulance Committee and the board of Wildwood Cemetery.  He was a World War II Navy Veteran and sailed in the South Pacific in 1945 and 1946 before returning to Amherst.  Mr. Pickering was a 32^nd degree Mason at the Masonic Lodge in Amherst.  He was preceded in death by his Father and Mother, his son Christopher and daughter Deborah.  He is survived by his wife of seventy years, R. Louise Puffer Pickering, son, William and wife Terri Pickering of Las Vegas, Nevada; daughter-in-law, Dianne Walas Pickering;  grandchildren, Jeffrey and Cynthia Pickering, Timothy Pickering, Sarah and Christopher Liles, Stephen and Lia Pickering, Bradley and Olivia Pickering along with nine Great Grandchildren.  Walk through calling hours will be held at Douglass Funeral Home on Wednesday, February 9, 2022 from 5:00PM – 7:00PM. Burial services will be private. Memorial guestbook at www.douglassfuneral.com

It is with heavy hearts that the family of David G. Farnham announces his passing on January 31, 2022. David was a longtime resident of Hadley, Massachusetts, and had recently reached his milestone 90th birthday.

David was born September 22, 1931, in Norwich, Connecticut, the youngest of three children to parents Elmer and Francis (Murphy) Farnham. He graduated from Norwich Free Academy in 1949 and attended Springfield College before enlisting in the United States Air Force in 1951. He served two and a half years of active duty as a medic at Camp Edwards and Otis Air Force Base on Cape Cod. After being honorably discharged, David continued his education, eventually graduating from Boston University in 1955 and then Sargent College of Physical Therapy in 1956.

Upon graduating, David held multiple physical therapy positions in Florida, Rhode Island, Iowa, West Virginia, and then finally the Veterans’ Association Medical Center in Northampton, Massachusetts, where he would become Coordinator of Rehabilitation Medicine and retire after 32 years of service.

It was in Florida that David met the love of his life, a petite yet feisty Austrian girl named Veronika “Lindy” Lindbichler, and they wed in 1957. Together they moved to the various locations where David held a job and along the way had three boys.

David’s dedication to service continued to his community where he was one of the leaders of the then-fledgling Hadley Cub Scouts; coached the “Reds” Little League baseball team; and served elected positions on the Hadley Park and Recreation Committee, School Board, and 24 years on the Board of Health. He was a member of the Hadley Young Men’s Club and Polish American Club, and was appointed to the Norwottuck Rail Trail Advisory Committee. 

Despite his busy life, David found time each year to plant a bountiful garden. He traveled with his wife to her native Austria multiple times, where her family and her entire village embraced him as one of their own. He took great pride in sending his boys to college, attending their soccer and rugby games and becoming an honorary member of his sons’ fraternity. Up until the time he became ill at 89 years old, he could be seen walking all over town, particularly on his pet project the bike path and at the UMass stadium. 

David was not one to embrace technology; in fact, he never owned a computer, a cell phone, or even an ATM card. But he did not consider himself at a disadvantage because of this. He was instead all about human interaction and liked going to the bank in person rather than doing his banking online; he liked going to the store and chatting with people while out and about rather than making online purchases at home; he liked handwriting a personal note rather than sending an email. Instead of the number of online followers he had or the speed with which he could complete a transaction, David loved meeting new people and connecting with old friends, and that is what he placed great value in.

David is predeceased by his wife, Veronika, of 56 years; his parents; his sister Eleanor Frolio and her husband Stanley; and his son Steven. He is survived by his two remaining sons: David F. Farnham and wife Jacqueline Waldman-Corbat and Michael Farnham and wife Sara “Sally” Farnham; five beloved grandchildren: Jack, Caleb, Olga, Grace, and MaryKate; one precious great-grandson, Blake; sister Jane Wood and husband Leonard; and numerous nieces and nephews. 

Services will be private and at the convenience of the family. Douglass Funeral Home in Amherst will handle the arrangements. The family would like to thank the staff at Care One in Northampton for their compassionate care of David.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Keene State University Men’s Soccer Program.

Please make checks payable to “Easthampton Savings Bank” (reference David G. Farnham Memorial Fund) and send to Easthampton Savings Bank, P.O. Box 81, Hadley, MA 01035. Memorial guestbook at www.douglassfuneral.com

Eric William Croft, born Sep. 14, 1992 on his grandfather Gordon Croft’s birthday, unexpectedly passed from this life on Jan. 21, 2022. He grew up in South Amherst and went to Amherst primary and middle schools and then to Hopkins Academy in Hadley for high school. He graduated from Wheelock College in Boston with a degree in Communication. He is the son of Pamela Aselton and Bruce Croft of Amherst and leaves his brother Douglas Croft and wife Hanna Bohan of San Francisco mourning his loss. His grandparents were Gordon Aselton (deceased) of South Windsor, Beatrice Aselton and Thomas Wilenski of Venice, Florida and Irene and Gordon Croft (both deceased) of Melbourne, Australia.  Other close family includes his Aunts Penny and Patti Aselton, Paula Dunshee (deceased) and his cousins in Connecticut, Mike, Jordy and Liz.

He was a loving and intuitive person who cared strongly for other people, especially those with challenges. Starting in coffee shops, where he was always the front man interacting with customers, he soon moved on to various jobs in social work helping a range of children and adults. His love for films and comedy kept us all entertained and he did some stand-up in the area a few years back. He was excited to win the 20-dollar prize at Packard’s one night, but in his own self-deprecating way he said it was because the good comics were not there.

He lived in multiple cities since graduating college, including Boston, San Francisco, New York, and Portland, Maine. Eric moved back to Amherst one year ago and most recently worked with people in residential treatment for Service Net in Northampton. He had worked with children with disabilities in Portland and a preschool with autistic children in Boston during college. He was looking forward to moving back to Maine and had accepted a job as a counselor in a day program for people with developmental disabilities.

Eric traveled with his family to many places including Australia, Europe and China and a wonderful western national parks trip when he was in elementary school, although he sometimes complained that he had been too young to remember some of the trips!

Last year, he did a road trip with his girlfriend Kirsten where they went to Nashville and the Carolinas, staying with friends and swimming in the great beaches of Charleston. He loved that trip. He also liked to feel part of a community, such as the summer he spent in New York living near his college buddies and riding his bike through Queens to get to his Brooklyn job, or biking around San Francisco when he stayed with his brother and wife for a summer internship in college.

His life was full of potential but also of struggle. We are proud to have known him and his loss leaves a huge hole in the center of our lives.

There will be a private service and a burial in South Amherst Cemetery.

A memorial page is available to post memories on at www.douglassfuneral.com

Instead of flowers, please donate to your favorite charity that helps people with depression or Children International.

Please remember to be kind to everyone you meet because you never know what they are really going through

MAY, Evelyn Lorene (York) Passed away at CareOne Northampton, MA on January 23, 2022.  Born in Rural Davidson County Tennessee on December 30, 1933.  Preceded in death by her beloved husband Bruce Arlen May; parents Willie Green Rowlett and James Norman York; sisters Ann Elizabeth and Norma Louise Boyd; and her dear daughter-in-law Rebecca Cohen.  She is survived by her sister Diane (Wayne) Winkler of Nashville, TN; three sons Gilbert Arlen May, David Norman May, Warren Henry Addington-May (Abigail); and Linda Binney (mother of her first grandchild, Mary Caitlin May of Northampton, MA.)  Her other surviving grandchildren are Benjamin Bruce Cohen May of Franklin, MA, and Jane and Edgar Addington-May of North Attleboro, MA. 

Evelyn met her soulmate Bruce while attending Martin Methodist College in Pulaski TN.  They were married in 1957. After starting their family in Indiana, they moved to Massachusetts with their 3 young boys. In 1970, following Bruce’s passing, the family moved to Amherst MA. Evelyn was the receptionist for the Superintendent of Amherst Regional School District for 11 years before returning to college as an Ida Comstock Scholar at Smith College.  She was working at First Call for Help while studying and was also a valued volunteer for Hospice.

Evelyn is known by all for her earthy sense of humor.  She was quick to love, quick to forgive; she loved her caregivers, her dearest friends in the “Pajama Club,” her family, and she forever loved her husband, Bruce.  Evelyn will be dearly missed by all. 

A Service of Remembrance will be held on Sat. Feb. 5^th at 1:00PM in the Woodbury Room of the Jones Library, Amherst, MA.  Please contact the family for ZOOM details.

In lieu of flowers, the family suggests a donation to your local Hospice organization. Memorial guestbook at www.douglassfuneral.com