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

Faith P. Conlon, 94, passed away Friday, January 21,2022 at the
Arbors at Amherst.

 A 64 year resident of Amherst, Faith was born on March 28, 1927 in Pittsfield, the daughter of the late James H. and Emma L. Pelton.

 Growing up in the Berkshires, Faith was an avid and skilled skier, and a strong swimmer, serving as both a local swimming instructor and waterfront director.

 A 1944 graduate of Lenox High School, Faith was Salutatorian of her senior class. Following a post grad year at Northfield School for Girls, she enrolled at UMASS Amherst in 1946.  She would graduate in 1949 with a degree in English and Sociology, and a minor in Education.  While at UMASS, she was a member of Chi Omega Sorority and she met the love of her life, Jack, who was also a student there after he returned home from World War II. 

Following graduation together, Faith put her own career aspirations on hold to  support Jack in his pursuit of advanced degrees at UCONN and Michigan State University.

From there it was back east to the University of Maine, where Jack began his teaching career, and in 1958 they landed back in Amherst where Jack would spend the rest of his career teaching and in administration at UMASS Amherst and Faith would raise their two sons.

Jack always credited Faith with being the bedrock of strength for him over his career as an educator.  They were equal partners in all aspects of life.  They truly personified the word “couple” and just adored each other.  They were a true partnership over 69 years of wedded bliss.

  Faith was active in the local and university community, serving as a volunteer member of many organizations, including Amherst Women’s Club, University Women’s Club and the Cooley Dickinson Hospital Auxiliary.  She was an avid reader and enjoyed traveling; especially the many wonderful family vacations throughout New England.

The one constant to these trips was always the ocean, and in 1976 Faith and Jack purchased a second home in Hyannis on Cape Cod, where they would enjoy special times over the next almost four decades.

 Faith was predeceased in 2019 by her beloved husband, Jack.  She is survived by her loving sons Jim and his wife Carol (Devine) of Wilbraham, and Mark and his wife Debra (Goodridge) of Westford, her cherished grandchildren Tim and Sarah, and her nephews, cousins and their families.

The family wishes to thank Faith’s wonderful extended family at The Arbors at Amherst and MagCare.  The caregivers from both organizations were truly her angels over the past six years.  We will be forever grateful to all of them.

 There are no visitation hours.  A private family burial service will be held at Wildwood Cemetery.

 In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation in Faith’s name to Hospice of the Fisher Home in Amherst at www.fisherhome.org.

To leave condolences for the family online, please visit www.douglassfuneral.com.

   Charles William Heffernan (January 11,1929 – January 8, 2022) passed away peacefully at home in Amherst, just shy of his 93rd birthday. Son of William

Heffernan and Alice Roberts Heffernan, Charles was born in E. Waterboro, ME where he grew up until he attended New England Conservatory as a piano

major earning a Music Certificate. After teaching music in rural Maine for eight years, Charles married Ethel Briggs (now Meg Worcester) in 1957 and attended the University of Michigan, earning his Bachelor/ Master of Music Degree and a Doctoral Degree in Music Education.

     Charles’ university teaching career led him to the University of Washington, Oakland University (MI), Arizona State University, the University of Toronto, and the University of Massachusetts. Through his steady, patient guidance, fine

musicianship—all peppered with his dry wit—he inspired and influenced

countless students, community chorus members, musical theater casts and  others throughout his career and into retirement.

     Beyond his 50-year teaching career, Charles held passions for opera and

riding his motorcycle. Through the years, he also developed his philosophy of

 “kinship with all life” inspired by his rural upbringing, and love for all animals no matter how large, small, or seemingly inconsequential. He felt connected to them all.

     One of Charles’ great priorities was his daughter, Priscilla. He devoted

continuous love and support to her as she grew up, teaching her to play the

piano, and taking into consideration how each of his career moves would also impact her. Later, he continued to be a wonderful grandfather to his two

granddaughters.

    Charles spent much of his retirement with his beloved partner of 26 years, Bob, and their dog, Henry. He continued to conduct, first as the director of the Keene Chorale and then the Quabbin Valley Pro Musica Chorus. He enjoyed

visits from his family and friends and traveling to Maine to visit other family members.

     Charles is survived by his longtime partner, Robert Cyr, daughter, Priscilla Johnson, son-in-law, Daniel Johnson, and granddaughters, Hannah Johnson and Emily Collins.

      A service will be held at a later date. In lieu of flowers, please send donations

to the Dakin Humane Society https://www.dakinhumane.org/index-old.html

Memorial guestbook at www.douglassfuneral.com

The Lowenstein and Kitchell families invite her relatives and friends to a celebration of her life on Thursday, June 23, 2022, at 11:00 a.m. at the Unitarian Universalist Society, 121 North Pleasant Street, Amherst, Massachusetts, 01002.  (Parking is available on the street, behind CVS, and in the above and underground parking at the Boltwood Garage, Boltwood Walk in Amherst.) 

Susie spent a lifetime loving music. She studied at Bard College and at Columbia University, where she completed a Master’s degree in Music Composition. Her musical reach was widespread in the Pioneer Valley, as an organist, a participant in chamber music performances, and an attendee at local musical events.

Susie was deeply involved in women’s rights. An early member of the Abortion Rights Fund of Western Massachusetts, the all-volunteer organization helping people pay for abortion care, she was also a strong supporter of Tapestry Health, dedicated to reproductive rights and HIV prevention. She was also deeply involved in local and national politics, her outreach extending to wherever she lived, whenever it was needed.
Susie’s heart and home were open to family, friends, and strangers alike. She will always be remembered for her epic Thanksgiving celebrations, at which there were rarely fewer than thirty guests. To the end of her life, she was making new friends, including the Amherst Garden Club and her reading, poker-playing, and swimming groups. Ready at a moment’s notice to set another place (or ten!) at her table, she will be missed for her irreverent humor, her outspokenness, and her constant hospitality and generosity.

Donations in her name may be made to the Abortion Rights Fund: www.ARFWM.org; Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival, www.jacobspillow.org; or Treehouse, www.treehousefoundation.net.

In her late teens she met and married an American Serviceman who brought her to the United States. She mothered seven children by him until the two divorced some years later.

In 1971 she met the love of her life, Jack Harris, who would later become her husband in 1973. The two spent forty-eight blissful years together through thick and thin, traveling the United States and Europe. They had one child together.

Alice, as those close to her called her, loved to trout fish and was an avid bowler at the Northampton Bowling Alley, where she bowled on Thursday nights in a league for close to thirty years. She was most proud of the 7-10 split that she once picked up and talked about it for years.  She loved to knit and crochet, or “crotch’it,” as she liked to say.

She was certainly one-of-a-kind and not afraid to speak her mind and tell you what she thought in the only way she could. They certainly broke the mold after her. There is and always will be a void in the lives of those that loved and knew her.  

She is predeceased by her daughters, Patty, Kathy and Dotty. She is survived by her husband, Jack, her daughters, Kimberly and Sherri, and her sons, George, David and Joshua. She was a grandmother and great-grandmother to many including her granddaughter whom she raised, Michelle Riopelle.

Calling hours for Alice will be held at Douglass Funeral Service in Amherst, Thursday January 20, from 4:00 – 6:00 PM. In lieu of flowers, the family has requested that donations be made to the Alzheimer’s Association of Massachusetts. Memorial guestbook at www.douglassfuneral.com

Dick was born and grew up in Chicago, then moved east to attend Groton and then Yale.  After graduating, he became an urban planner and took great pride in his work on housing integration in Chicago, San Francisco, New York, and Boston.  At age 50 he left urban planning to settle in Amherst to follow his passion in a new career as a writer. He earned an MFA in creative writing from Vermont college, and went on to a prolific writing career as a poet and a short story author.  His work earned many honors, including Pushcart Prize recognition and the Paris Review/Paris Writers Workshop International Fiction Award.  He published four books of poetry, short stories, and non-fiction, all illustrated with his rich, complex artwork.  

Dick’s family was his overwhelming joy, whether in his study of his ancestors dating back to the early 1800’s, or in celebrating the birth of his youngest grandchild, Teddy, in 2021.  Dick’s passion for family history brought the past to life as he aptly narrated, documented, and shared the lively stories of the Bentley clan.  He loved a good argument, or maybe a discussion on politics, history, literature, and lately, the meaning of life.  His questions were endless, his laughter boundless.  Stories of growing up abounded and sharing time with his nieces and nephews was often a part of dinner conversation.  Thanksgivings in Amherst were the highlight of every year as Dick held court in the candle light of our Amherst home, encouraging others to take a turn at reading a poem aloud to the table, reminding us that in his childhood, all poems would have been memorized.  

His sketches, pastels, watercolors, and collages filled his home with the creative spirit that embodied him.  Dick will be remembered reading, always reading, most likely Cheever or Fitzgerald, or with pen in hand deftly putting into words the world he saw or felt each day of his life. One of his last moments found him with a special friend at his bedside, reading to him from “Oh What a Paradise it Seems,” a title that embodies Dick’s view of life. We are so grateful to the hospice of the Fisher home, who provided Dick with comfort and dignity in his peaceful death at home, surrounded by his loved ones.  

Dick lived in a world of words, written, read, and spoken with the many who knew and loved him.  We would like to close with some of his writing, words that continue to speak to us although his is gone.

“To die is to lift us without limits.” Dick Bentley, Leaving Chicago

“If time were like the tide, we would surge into the future then rush back into the past.” Dick Bentley, Landlocked, All Rise

It is with heavy hearts that the family of Benjamin Rodriguez announces his passing on January 7, 2022. Benjamin was born in Humacao (Barrio Mariana), Puerto Rico and was the middle of thirteen children (Pablo, Carmen, Marcelina, Anastacio, Juan, Benjamin, Modesta, Jesus, Luis, Andres, Rosa, Miguel, Ana) to his parents, Antonio Rodriguez and Juana Carrasquillo.

He was born into poverty and his early life’s experiences cemented his core values: hard work, religion, sense of justice and belief in education. He graduated high school from Colegio San Antonio Abad in Humacao and attended St. John’s University in Minnesota for two-years on a scholarship before completing his B.A. at Catholic University in Ponce, Puerto Rico. He met the love of his life and married Gladys Serrano in 1964. After the birth of their first child, Ivette, his family relocated to New York City where he worked in education. After a brief stint in Narragansett, Rhode Island where his son, Benjamin Rodriguez Jr was born, the family relocated to Amherst, Massachusetts where he would live, work and raise his family for the next 48 years.

At UMass, while earning his M.A (1972) and Ed.D (1975), he was instrumental in creating and served as director of the Bilingual Collegiate Program (BCP) until his retirement in 2002. Working alongside many great administrators and students-whom he remembered until his final    day- he and the BCP would recruit, tutor and graduate thousands of students from marginalized backgrounds. He also served as chairman of the board of the New England Farm Workers Council. For his efforts the University of Massachusetts bestowed upon him the Chancellor’s Medal for exceptional contribution to the University. However, his true reward was the success of the students and the many friends he made along the way.

Much of his work was done in a suit and tie but he was a “jibaro” at heart and felt most comfortable working the land in shoddy clothing. His annual pig roasts were the talk of the town and he earned the reputation of someone that would always be there to help a friend in need. He rarely missed church and was always the one to give the New Year’s toast.  He loved sports and was an avid New York Yankees fan.  

He leaves his wife of 57 years, Gladys and his pride and joy, Ivette of Chicopee Massachusetts and Benjamin Jr, his grandchildren, Brinley, Elise, Nora and Benjamin III of Suffield, Connecticut and several beloved brothers and sisters.

The family will hold services at a later time due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Ben Rodriguez’s remains will eventually lie in the land that he loved, Humacao, Puerto Rico.

The family requests that in lieu of flowers, please send donations in the name of Benjamin Rodriguez to either the UMass Center for Multicultural Advancement and Student Success https://www.umass.edu/cmass/or the American Diabetes Association https://diabetes.org/. For condolences, please visit the memorial guestbook at www.douglassfuneral.com

Rosalie Mikalunas passed away peacefully on Sunday, January 8^th, 2022 at the Hospice of the Fisher Home in Amherst. Rosalie was born in Holyoke, Ma on February 6, 1949; her fathers birthday, the daughter of Joseph and Mary (Pento) Vassallo. Her childhood was spent growing up in Pelham along with her seven brothers and sister.  Rosalie was a graduate of Amherst Regional High school, Class of 1967.

Rosalie married Robert Miklaunas on April 26, 1969.     

Rosalie had a passion for baking. For 26 years Rosalie worked as the Head Baker at Wildwood Elementary school. Along with the children, family and friends enjoyed the benefits of Rosalie’s joy in baking. Brownies and cookies were made by the dozens. She challenged anyone to make a better Chocolate Chip Cookie.  And a challenge never included less than 6 dozen for all to enjoy!! When not in the kitchen, Rosalie could be found watching her Blue Birds in the back yard, a true haven for the birds where family, upon family of blue bird found refuge and unlimited food. Above all Rosalie loved spending time with her cherished granddaughters Makenzie and Mikayla Mikalunas.

Sadly, Rosalie was predeceased by her two sons, Robert on March 15, 2021 and Michael on May 10, 2009. She is survived by her beloved husband of fifty-two years, Robert, her two sweet granddaughters, Mikayla and Makenzie Mikalunas and their mother Kelly Egan, along with sister Carol (David) Orrell; brothers, John (Trish) Vassallo, Michael (Kathy) Vassallo, Robert (Lynda) Vassallo and sister-in law Helen Vassallo.  She was pre-deceased by brothers Joseph, Angelo, Paul and Richard Vassallo and many nieces, nephews and cousins.

Private services will be held at Douglass Funeral Service. Friends are invited to attend a graveside service on Friday Jan. 14, at 10:45 AM in St. Brigid’s Cemetery, Hadley. Memorial guestbook at www.douglassfuneral.com

Joan graduated from Amherst High School class of 1947.  She married George Olanyk in 1950.

In addition to her parents she was predeceased by her husband George, brothers Edward Lashway, Lawrence Lashway, Leonard Lashway, Richard Lashway and Daniel Lashway, sisters Margaret Poole, Alice Adams, Florence Powers, Helen Adams, Joyce Matuzko and Mary Wilson.

Survivors: Sons William Olanyk and his wife Darcy of Sunderland, Grandsons Zachary Olanyk of Pennsylvania and Alex Olanyk of Sunderland.  Peter Olanyk and his wife Liz of Sunderland, Granddaughter Amy Olanyk Petry and her husband Jon, of West Virginia, great granddaughters Ava and Liv Petry.  Grandson, Peter Olanyk and his family, Jenn, Lilli and Cicci, of Palmer Ma. Sisters Ethel Bozak of Agwam,  Ma, Harriet Eddy of Leverett, Ma, Brothers William Lashway of Williamsburg, Ma and Harry Lashway of Florida.  As well as several brother and sister in-laws and their families.

Joan loved spending time visiting family, playing cards, the beach, cooking and spending time with her grandchildren and great grandchildren. Funeral services will be held in the spring. Memorial guestbook at www.douglassfuneral.com