Eugene F. Raskevitz, 78, of Leverett and known by his grandchildren as “Poppy”, passed away peacefully at his home on September 23rd, 2019 surrounded by and in comfort of loved ones.
“Poppy” was born in Northampton, Massachusetts on October 13, 1940 as one of 6 children to Dorothy (Vanderlick) and Joseph Raskevitz.

He graduated from Amherst Regional High school in 1959 and served the U. S. Army from January 26, 1959 until the end of his obligation on January 25, 1965. He was exceptionally proud to have served his country. He was a heavy equipment operator and a member of the Local 98 Operating Engineers Union until his retirement. Once retired, he focused his attention on his grandchildren: Kelsey and Nicholas Jarvis of Whately, and Joshua Kellogg of Shutesbury. They kept the sparkle in his eyes and the smile on his face. Being their grandfather, was everything to him.

He is survived by his daughters Lisa Raskevitz and her children Kelsey and Nicholas Jarvis; Wendy Raskevitz, her husband Jeremy Kellogg, and their son Joshua; his brother and sister-in-law Robert and Nancy Raskevitz of West Danville, Vermont; his sister JoAnn Raskevitz of Amherst; his brother and sister-in-law Jack and Elaine Raskevitz of Leverett; his brother and sister-in-law Joseph and Sharon Raskevitz of Leverett; his brother and sister-in-law Paul and Lynn Raskevitz of Amherst; as well as many nieces and nephews and extended family.

As Poppy’s request, no formal services will be held.

Poppy’s daughters, Lisa and Wendy, would like to thank all the caregivers at Cooley Dickinson Hospital, and Cooley Dickinson VNA and Hospice for providing exceptional and caring attention and support during our father’s illness. We would also like to acknowledge the love and support of the entire Raskevitz family clan and close friends that offered their time, their words of encouragement, and their love.

Donations in Poppy’s memory can be made to the Disabled American Veteran’s (www.dav.org) or to Cooley Dickinson VNA and Hospice of Northampton, MA.

Sarah (Sarsh) Bond Hanke, 89, died peacefully at home on September 13, 2019.

Sarsh was born in 1930 to Stanley and Martha (Smith) Bond in Beacon, NY, as the city’s first baby of the new year. As a child, she was a free spirit who indulged a love for the Hudson Valley and began a lifelong passion for choral music. She graduated from Barnard College in 1952, where she majored in religion under Ursula Niebuhr. She met her future husband, Jonathan (Jono) Hanke while he was at the School of International Affairs at Columbia University during her senior year. They were wed in Beacon, NY, on September 13, 1952, and began their life together in the Washington, DC, area, where she worked at the Folger Shakespeare Library.

Her married life then took her overseas, to five Latin American countries over 22 years. Sarsh sang in choral societies wherever she lived, and toured with them to Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay. While stateside, she sang with the Montgomery County (MD) Oratorio Society.

She and Jono retired to Amherst in 1978, where they made Grace Episcopal Church their spiritual home. Sarsh sang alto in the choir and was a member of the Altar Guild, the Episcopal Peace Fellowship and the “funeral ladies,” assisting with funeral preparations and receptions.

Sarsh found kinship in the Society of the Companions of the Holy Cross, developing many dear and longstanding friendships and treasuring time, both enjoyable and devotional, spent at the Society’s retreat house, Adelynrood.

She overcame undiagnosed dyslexia to become a thoughtful and avid reader, passing her love of books on to her children and grandchildren. She belonged to several longstanding and beloved book groups, until recently hosting meetings in her home. She was also a member of the Travelers’ Club, continuing to learn about the world and sharing her experiences. Sarsh greatly enjoyed welcoming people into her life and getting to know them in a nurturing and meaningful way.

Sarsh was predeceased by her husband, Jono, in 2013, and many friends. She is survived by three daughters, Barbara Hanke of Chromo, CO, and her husband Rod Rempel, Laura Hanke of Las Cruces, NM, and Genevra Hanke of Amherst and her partner Michael Reid; grandsons Austin, Sam, Will and Nate; sister-in-law and friend Jody Schwarz of Gaithersburg, MD; and 10 nieces and nephews. We will all miss her love and generosity, and the deep interest she took in our lives.

We want to extend our deepest appreciation to Jill Bergmann for her loving care and friendship, and to the Cooley Dickinson VNA & Hospice team for their support.

A memorial service will be held on April 25, 2020.

In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts may be sent to Grace Episcopal Church, 14 Boltwood Avenue, Amherst, MA 01002, marked “Haiti School.”

Ursula Darland (née Schubert) passed away on Saturday, 14 September 2019, after a brief illness. She was 84 years old. A long-time resident of Amherst, since 2016 Ursula resided at Linda Manor Extended Care in Leeds, MA due to her struggle with Alzheimer’s disease. She is survived by her son Christopher and his partner Sara DeNobrega in New York, and dear family and friends here in Amherst, the US, and in Germany. Dallas L. Darland, her husband of 53 years, passed in 2015. Born in 1935 in Wiesbaden, Germany, Ursula emigrated to the United States in 1959. Through hard work and persistence, and the support of good friends, she became an Interior Designer and owned her own successful design business in Amherst and Washington, DC for many years. She traveled frequently, lived in Washington, DC, Atlanta, and Mount Desert Island at various periods, and returned frequently to Wiesbaden for much cherished family visits, but always returned to her beloved Amherst. A graveside service will be held on Thursday, September 19, 2019 at 11am at Wildwood Cemetery in Amherst. Please make charitable donations to the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America (www.alzfdn.org) – Let’s find a cure for this pernicious disease.

Janice Harlow Cromack (nee Murray) born July 6, 1932, passed away Sept. 4, 2019.

She is survived by her loving husband of 68 years Duane E. Cromack, daughter Karen (Paula) Cromack and son Todd Cromack. She was predeceased by son Dean Cromack and her brother Everett Murray. A devoted grandmother of Johanna (Matt) Ottino, Abigail Goewey, Emma Goewey, Steven Cromack, Trevor Cromack, and cherished great grandmother of Emily Ottino.

Jan and Duane were married on June 23, 1951 in Cheyenne WY where Duane was stationed in the U. S Air Force and moved numerous times across the country as his assignments changed. Jan was a longtime Amherst native, proud of her roots in the farming community especially the Harlow Jerseydale Farm, and her longtime membership in the Wesley United Methodist Church. A graduate of Amherst High School Class of 1950 she later worked in the high school library. She enjoyed sewing and tailored wedding dresses for several nieces as well as leading a local 4-H Sewing club. She was an avid doll collector with a very large and diverse collection. Jan was a member of both the Northampton Lions Club and a charter member of the Amherst Lions Club.

Friends will be received at Douglass Funeral Service, 87 N. Pleasant St. Amherst, MA 01002 on Friday, Sept. 13 from 5 to7pm. A celebration of Jan’s life will be held Sat. Sept. 14 at 10am at Wesley United Methodist Church 98 N. Maple St. Hadley, MA 01035.

In lieu of flowers memorials may be made to the American Red Cross or to District 33Y Lions Emergency Sight and Hearing.

Jane H. Bodin, 85, of Amherst, Massachusetts, died peacefully and without pain on September 5, 2019, from complications of Alzheimer’s disease.

Visitation will be held on Monday, September 9, 2019 between 5 p.m. and 8 p.m. at Douglass Funeral Service in Amherst, Massachusetts. Burial services are private. Funeral arrangements are being handled by Douglass Funeral Service. A memorial service will be held on Saturday, September 21, 2019 at 11 a.m. at South Congregational Church in Amherst.

Jane was born in Holyoke, Massachusetts on December 17, 1933, to Byron Albert and Gladys Mae (Brainerd) Hudson. She grew up in Belchertown and graduated from Belchertown High School. She received an Associate in Arts degree from LaSalle Junior College and a Bachelor of Arts in Elementary Education from Springfield College.

Jane was married to D. Joseph (Joe) Bodin on July 13, 1957; they were married 62 years.

Jane worked as an elementary school special education teacher at Leverett Elementary School for 25 years. She was one of the first teachers certified in the Orton–Gillingham method, which was the first teaching approach specifically designed to help struggling readers by explicitly teaching the connections between letters and sound. She loved her work and taught many children how to read despite their dyslexia and other learning disabilities. She enjoyed summers at Prudence Island all her life; April vacations in Barbados for 30 years; and traveling all over the world with Joe. They visited more than 20 different countries together.

Jane is survived by her husband, Joe; daughter Kristi, son David and his wife Jacqui, son Richard and his husband Gregory Feller, and grandson David Joseph III, several nieces and nephews, and other family and friends.

Jane is preceded in death by her parents and her sisters, Elaine Harrington and Barbara Harrington.

In lieu of flowers, and to honor Jane’s love for children, memorial donations may be given to Shriners Hospitals for Children — Development Office Springfield, 516 Carew St., Springfield, MA 01104 (https://www.shrinershospitalsforchildren.org/springfield/ways-to-give) or St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital, 1-800-822-6344, 501 St Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105, Source Code: IIQ190788777 (https://www.stjude.org)

The family of Jane H. Bodin wishes to thank the staff at the Leeds unit of the Elaine Center at Hadley and Compassus Hospice for their kind excellent care.

Jeffrey Davis Ferguson, a lifelong resident of Amherst, died peacefully after a short illness on Sunday September 1st, 2019 at the age of 71. Born in Holyoke on April 30, 1948, he was the son of Judson and Doris (Griffin) Ferguson.

Jeff was a graduate of Amherst High School and Stockbridge School of Agriculture. Upon graduation, Jeff enlisted in the US Air Force and proudly served his country overseas, stationed in Thailand during the Vietnam War. After returning from the the war, Jeff worked as a machinist until retiring in 2009 to help care for his wife who was battling Alzheimer’s.

Jeff is survived by his son, Scott and his wife Jennifer of Northborough, MA; His two grandchildren, Judson and Aaron, and his sister, Cynthia Campana and her husband Richard of Feeding Hills along with several cousins, nephews, and nieces. He is predeceased by his wife Diane (Sullivan) and son Brett.

Visitation will be held at 10:00 Saturday, September 7th at the Douglass Funeral Home in Amherst followed by a funeral home service at 11:00. Burial will be held immediately after at Wildwood Cemetery in Amherst. In lieu of flowers, donations in Jeff’s memory may be made to the Alzheimer’s Association (www.alz.org).

John T. (Jack) Conlon, 95, passed away August 28, 2019 at The Arbors at Amherst.

A 61 year resident of Amherst, Jack was born on October 27, 1923, in Worcester, the son of the late Francis B. and Isabel A. Conlon.
Upon graduation from Classical High School in Worcester, Jack joined the U.S Army Air Corps during World War II, graduating from Cryptography School in 1943. He was assigned as Cryptographer/Squadron Operations, 92nd Bomb Group, 8th Air Force at B-17 airbases in Podington, England and Istres, France, until 1945. Among his decorations were the European Theater of Operations Campaign Ribbon (6 Battle Stars), and the Croix de Guerre for combat heroism.

Following his military service, Jack enrolled at UMASS-Amherst, and received his BBA in 1949. He then went on to UCONN for his MA, and to Michigan State for a PhD in Economics.
Jack then began a 36 year career in academia as a Professor and Administrator, including stops at Michigan State University, Colgate University, University of Maine, and the last 28 years at his beloved UMASS-Amherst. Jack taught Economics, Management, and Labor Relations, was Chair of the Department of Management, and later Assistant Dean, Associate Dean, and served two stretches as Acting Dean of the UMASS School of Business Administration, now Isenberg School of Management. He retired from full-time teaching in 1986 and was named Professor Emeritus. He continued teaching part-time in Emeritus role and was awarded the Chancellor’s Medal upon retirement in 1992.

Jack also had a passion for Labor Relations and was both a Fact Finder, Mediator, and Arbitrator. He was Chairman of the American Arbitration Association Advisory Council for the N.E. Region, and a member of the prestigious National Academy of Arbitrators. He often invited his UMASS students to his hearings so they could experience first- hand what they were learning in class. Jack cared deeply for his students, and tracked their successes over the years.

He was deeply involved in the local community. He served as a longtime Trustee of Cooley Dickinson Hospital and Amherst Savings Bank, and as a Director of Heritage Savings Bank. He was also a member of the Amherst Council on Aging and the Rotary Club of Amherst.

Jack was also an avid sports enthusiast. He loved all professional Boston sports teams, UMASS Athletics, and was an avid golfer and long- time member of both Amherst Golf Club, where he was a member of the Amherst Legends, and Hickory Ridge Golf Club.

Jack was predeceased by his brother Robert Conlon and his sister Kay Akona. He is survived by his beloved wife of 69 years, Faith (Pelton) Conlon, his loving sons Jim and his wife Carol (Devine) of Wilbraham, MA. and Mark and his wife Debra (Goodridge) of Westford, MA., his cherished grandchildren Tim and Sarah, his sister-in-law Justine Conlon, and his four nephews and their families.

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

Visitation will be held on Tuesday, September 3, 2019 from 10:00 to 11:30 am at Douglass Funeral Home in Amherst, concluding with a funeral home service at 11:30 am. Burial with Military Honors will be held immediately following at Wildwood Cemetery in Amherst, MA.

Jim Pratt, 78, died on August 27, 2019 at Cooley Dickinson Hospital. He grew up in Cushman, Amherst. Jim owned several businesses during his life including Amherst Auto Parts, Greenfield Auto Wrecking, and College Town Auto Sales. He was an excellent mechanic and enjoyed driving and working on cars. In his youth he enjoyed racing and motorcycles. In his later years he spent his time working on Fords from the 1940’s and 1950’s. Whenever we saw an old car he had a story of someone he knew who owned that particular model.

Jim always said the two most important things in life are faith and family. His family will remember him for his generosity. He helped so many people in his life without ever expecting anything in return. He was especially fond of children. He always smiled when he spoke with the children in the family. It is difficult to believe that he is really gone. His strong presence and booming voice made him seem indestructible. Although we miss him being with us, we know he is seeing his own parents, his little sister, and many friends and family members in heaven now.

He is survived by his wife, Christine, his three sons, Jimmy Jr., Mike, and Vincent, his daughter-in-law, Sharon, his grandsons, Clayton, Michael, and Jimmy III, his granddaughter Céline, his granddaughters-in-law, Alison and Stephanie, and his great-granddaughter, Oceana. He is also survived by four sisters, Elizabeth, Dorothy, Susan, and Janet. His sister Barbara pre-deceased him.

Calling hours will be held Sunday, September 1, 2019 from 2-4pm at the Douglass Funeral Service in Amherst. A funeral service will be held on Monday, September 2, at 10am at the funeral home, with burial to follow at West Cemetery in Shutesbury.

Kaia died peacefully on August 20, surrounded by family and friends, after years of medical challenges and severe pain. Despite her ongoing physical challenges, she lived with abundant grace and humor.

Kaia’s childhood was filled with travel and adventure; she travelled to Sweden, Jamaica, the Virgin Islands, as well as a cross-country road trip.

Kaia’s love of animals was primary. While cats were her supreme source of joy, she also spent years riding horses, and even swam with dolphins. Music was a deep and essential source of comfort and pleasure to Kaia. It was a must for her daily existence. She attended many concerts and was able to meet several of her musical idols. These were some of her peak experiences.

Kaia’s life was beautifully enhanced by her caregivers at 915 North Pleasant Street. With hard work and compassion, they delivered joy, wit and love that fed her spirit and soothed her soul. Kaia weathered her losses with profound dignity and courage. Her compassion for others never wavered. Kaia was feisty and funny.

She will be dearly missed by her parents Jinny and Keijo, her brother Mikko (her favorite person), her aunts Janis and Marcia, her cousins Jaron, Maya, and Kenyon, and from Sweden her grandparents Tapani and Anna-Liisa and her uncle Kari. In addition to her biological family, she will be missed by a large community of people who loved her.

Services will be held Sunday August 25th, 10:00 am at the JCA 742 Main St. Amherst, followed by burial at the JCA cemetery, 222 Leverett Rd. Shutesbury.

Donations in Kaia’s name can be made to the Dakin Animal Shelter 163 Montague Rd. Leverett, Ma. 01054

John A. Page passed away peacefully at his home in Pelham on Aug 13 sitting in his favorite spot in his backyard looking out at his stonewall and the woods beyond. Born Oct 12, 1923 John was the son of Bertram C and Marybelle (Ward) Page. He was a WWII veteran and while serving his brother Bob was killed in action. He married Dorothy Orrell in Sept 1947 and in 1953 he bought a lot from his folks and built his house. He worked for 10 years at Louis Foods in the center of Amherst and then the Zoology Dept at UMass until his retirement in 1987. He was predeceased by his wife Dorothy and his beloved daughter Gail Page his brothers Len, Bob and Harold as well as Harold’s wife Phyllis and his nephew Phil.

He is survived by his son Norman and his wife Pat of Pelham, his son in law Donald Chabot of Greenfield and his sister in law Lenore Page of Michigan. He leaves four Grandchildren: Jennifer (Russell) Benham and her husband Aaron of Connecticut, Robert Page and his wife Meg of Shutesbury, Gregory Russell and his wife Becky of California and Audra (Page) Gocenski and her husband Wesley of Leverett. He leaves his much loved 11 great grandchildren John, Tyler and Adam Page, Sam, Nathan and Sean Benham, Harper, Preston and Jackson Russell and Bohden and Mariah Goscenski. He also leaves nieces, nephews and their extended families.

He loved baseball, fishing, hiking, and working in his yard. When he retired he built a stone wall the length of his property and in his nineties he helped his son Norm rebuild the stone retaining wall he built in the 1950’s. He graduated from Amherst High School in 1942 where he was on the baseball team with his brother that competed for the State Championship. When his son was in grammar school he organized a “Monday Night” baseball game on his father’s ball field where the Pelham Baseball team played. Kids from 1st grade to seniors in high school came together to play. John pitched so well he could hit the bat of the 1st graders and strike out the seniors. He made sure 1st graders always got a hit so they could learn the game. His grandchildren will always remember playing on his ledges, riding bikes and scooters on his driveway and sledding down his big hill while he stood there grinning.

There will be no calling hours and burial will be private at the convenience of family. Memorial donations can be sent in honor of John to Cooley Dickinson VNA &Hospice P.O. Box 329 Northampton Ma 01061-0329 or charity of your choice.