Braulia Vazquez Cabán, 91, of Amherst, MA, passed away on April 20th, 2023, of natural causes.
Braulia was born in Barranquitas, Puerto Rico on August 7^th, 1931. She graduated from high school in Manhattan, NY and and continued on to receive a Bachelor of Science in Home Economics from Manhattan’s Hunter College.
Braulia was married to Juan Pedro Cabán on January 29^th, 1956; they were married for 67 years. She worked as the office manager for WFCR Public Radio for over 10 years. Braulia enjoyed cooking, entertaining, reading, and listening to music. She was also actively involved with the Baha’i Faith. The Cabán home, in Amherst, served as the center for Baha’i gatherings for decades.
Braulia is survived by her spouse Juan, her children, John and Anne, her grandchildren Kai and Vincent, numerous nieces and nephews and other family and friends. She is preceded in death by her closest sister Ligia Ruiz, as well as numerous other siblings.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations in Braulia’s name may be given to New England Public Media by visiting www.nepm.org/memorial

The Cabán family wishes to thank Linda Manor Assisted Living, Cooley Dickenson VNA and Hospice, Douglass Funeral Services and Atkins Farms Flower Shop for their care and assistance.

An intimate funeral service was held for her on April 22^nd, at Wildwood Cemetery, in Amherst, MA

 

AMHERST, MA: Houghton Ingram, 85, passed away May 3rd, 2023 with family by his side. He was born on December 10th, 1937. He was the son of late Marshall and Vera (Buchanan) IngramHoughton was a loving husband, father, grandfather, and great grandfather. Family was was very important to him. He was extremely proud of his three sons and everything they have accomplished. In his free time he enjoyed hunting, fishing, cornhole, horseshoes, golfing, playing cards, coaching little league baseball, and going to tag sales with his grandchildren.

Houghton took pride in everything he did; including his jobs working at the Lord Jeffery Inn assisting Robert Frost, running Flavortowne coffee shop alongside his wife and sons, working as a maintainer at Umass where all of the students and staff loved him, and working as a runner at the Biffway Auctions. He was a respected member of the community that was always willing to lend a hand to anyone who needed it. No matter where Houghton went he would always run into at least one person he knew, and he was always ready to tell a story.

Houghton leaves behind his wife of 63 years, Judith; his sons Jeffery (Sherry), Scott, John (Kimberly); his grandchildren Ryan, Kelly, William, Elizabeth, Marshall, and Nolan; and his great grandchildren Luke, Hannah, Nova, and Harper. He will be greatly missed by everyone who knew

Calling hours will be held at the Douglass Funeral Home on Thursday, May 11th, from 4pm-7pm. Followed by a Brief Service at 7pm.

A burial will take place at the connivence of the family.

 

In lieu of flowers the family is asking for donations to be sent to:

* Toys for Tots  www.toysfortots.org/donate

* The Alzheimer’s Association  www.alz.org/get-involved-now

 * The Dakin Humane Society   www.dakinhumane.org

 * Cooley Dickinson VNA & Hospice.  www.cooleydickinson.org/giving

 

Memorial Guestbook can be found at www.douglassfuneral.com

AMHERST, MA: Keir Moon, known far and wide as “Mr. Moon” or simply “Moon,” and to so many beloved young people as “Grampa Moon,” died on April 30, 2023 after a long illness.

A lifelong entrepreneur, Moon early on decided a traditional career path was not for him.  He once drove a taxi cab in Boston, but what else he did during the 70’s remains a bit of a mystery. He started the Hi-Fi Exchange Stereo store in 1979 in downtown Northampton. He was a pioneer of computer gaming; his Moonbeam Software games for the TI-99/A home computer still have a following. He ran Adirondack Music stereo store in the old carriage shops, and worked maintenance for local Amherst apartment complexes while raising his daughters in Williamsburg, MA before returning to Amherst in 1993. He  opened another small business in the early 90’s, but really found his calling in the avenue of online sales which married well with his lifelong love of computers and provided an outlet for writing custom software programs and databases.

A grandchild of Winnifred Shumway of South Amherst, Moon took up the family legacy of contributing to the community. He became a fixture at the Amherst Transfer Station where he volunteered religiously, and from 2008 attended nearly every Amherst youth Football game from SAFL Pee Wees through high school varsity, where he could be easily spotted in a funny hat and a neon shirt, running the chain gang, setting up the field, and helping anyone who needed it. 

He will be greatly missed by his sisters, nieces and nephews, daughters, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, extended family, friends, and the Amherst community he served for decades. He will be remembered for his often gruff exterior, his stubbornness, and more than anything his boundlessly generous nature.

Please join us at Wildwood Cemetery, at 70 Strong St, Amherst on Friday, May 5, at 12:00PM for a GRAVESIDE SERVICE , where he will be interred beside his granddaughter in a green burial, in accordance with his wishes.

Mr. Moon was not known for his formality so we invite you to dress however you choose to honor your memories of him, whether you wear the neon he so loved, rep the ‘Canes, or wear neutral tones to reflect his natural return to the earth.

There will be mourning bands available.

Memorial conributions can be made to the Amherst Youth Football Program, P.O. BOX 155, 01004-0155.

Memorial Guestbook can be found at www.douglassfuneral.com 

AMHERST, MA: Keir Moon, known far and wide as “Mr. Moon” or simply “Moon,” and to so many beloved young people as “Grampa Moon,” died on April 30, 2023 after a long illness.

A lifelong entrepreneur, Moon early on decided a traditional career path was not for him.  He once drove a taxi cab in Boston, but what else he did during the 70’s remains a bit of a mystery. He started the Hi-Fi Exchange Stereo store in 1979 in downtown Northampton. He was a pioneer of computer gaming; his Moonbeam Software games for the TI-99/A home computer still have a following. He ran Adirondack Music stereo store in the old carriage shops, and worked maintenance for local Amherst apartment complexes while raising his daughters in Williamsburg, MA before returning to Amherst in 1993. He  opened another small business in the early 90’s, but really found his calling in the avenue of online sales which married well with his lifelong love of computers and provided an outlet for writing custom software programs and databases.

A grandchild of Winnifred Shumway of South Amherst, Moon took up the family legacy of contributing to the community. He became a fixture at the Amherst Transfer Station where he volunteered religiously, and from 2008 attended nearly every Amherst youth Football game from SAFL Pee Wees through high school varsity, where he could be easily spotted in a funny hat and a neon shirt, running the chain gang, setting up the field, and helping anyone who needed it. 

He will be greatly missed by his sisters, nieces and nephews, daughters, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, extended family, friends, and the Amherst community he served for decades. He will be remembered for his often gruff exterior, his stubbornness, and more than anything his boundlessly generous nature.

Please join us at Wildwood Cemetery, at 70 Strong St, Amherst on Friday, May 5, at 12:00PM for a GRAVESIDE SERVICE , where he will be interred beside his granddaughter in a green burial, in accordance with his wishes.

Mr. Moon was not known for his formality so we invite you to dress however you choose to honor your memories of him, whether you wear the neon he so loved, rep the ‘Canes, or wear neutral tones to reflect his natural return to the earth.

There will be mourning bands available.

Memorial conributions can be made to the Amherst Youth Football Program or a charity of your choice.

Memorial Guestbook can be found at www.douglassfuneral.com 

AMHERST, MA: Keir Moon, known far and wide as “Mr. Moon” or simply “Moon,” and to so many beloved young people as “Grampa Moon,” died on April 30, 2023 after a long illness.

A lifelong entrepreneur, Moon early on decided a traditional career path was not for him.  He once drove a taxi cab in Boston, but what else he did during the 70’s remains a bit of a mystery. He started the Hi-Fi Exchange Stereo store in 1979 in downtown Northampton. He was a pioneer of computer gaming; his Moonbeam Software games for the TI-99/A home computer still have a following. He ran Adirondack Music stereo store in the old carriage shops, and worked maintenance for local Amherst apartment complexes while raising his daughters in Williamsburg, MA before returning to Amherst in 1993. He  opened another small business in the early 90’s, but really found his calling in the avenue of online sales which married well with his lifelong love of computers and provided an outlet for writing custom software programs and databases.

A grandchild of Winnifred Shumway of South Amherst, Moon took up the family legacy of contributing to the community. He became a fixture at the Amherst Transfer Station where he volunteered religiously, and from 2008 attended nearly every Amherst youth Football game from SAFL Pee Wees through high school varsity, where he could be easily spotted in a funny hat and a neon shirt, running the chain gang, setting up the field, and helping anyone who needed it. 

He will be greatly missed by his sisters, nieces and nephews, daughters, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, extended family, friends, and the Amherst community he served for decades. He will be remembered for his often gruff exterior, his stubbornness, and more than anything his boundlessly generous nature.

Please join us at Wildwood Cemetery, at 70 Strong St, Amherst on Friday, May 5, at 12:00PM for a GRAVESIDE SERVICE , where he will be interred beside his granddaughter in a green burial, in accordance with his wishes.

Mr. Moon was not known for his formality so we invite you to dress however you choose to honor your memories of him, whether you wear the neon he so loved, rep the ‘Canes, or wear neutral tones to reflect his natural return to the earth.

There will be mourning bands available.

Memorial conributions can be made to the Amherst Youth Football Program or a charity of your choice.

Memorial Guestbook can be found at www.douglassfuneral.com 

MaryJane (Knightly) Drake of Amherst passed away on April 16 at Baystate Hospital with her loving family at her side. MaryJane was 87 born on Sept. 4, 1935.  She was the daughter of Walter R and Mary M. (Kuzmeski) Knightly. She was a lifelong resident of Amherst having graduated from Amherst High.

M.J. as she was known to many had a short career as a telephone operator, then went on to becoming a domestic engineer after she married her high school sweetheart Robert (Bob) Drake, they had been married for 65 loving years at the time of Bobs death in Feb. 2021. Together they had and raised four children.  Besides taking pride in raising her children and tending to their home M.J. looked forward to hosting and decorating for all the holidays, especially Easter, and Christmas. Memorial Day, July 4th, Labor Day, and family summer birthdays were always celebrated in the backyard by the pool with a BBQ picnic.

Some of her hobbies were in the warm seasons starting with flower gardening then on to strawberry picking(many quarts) for making several batches of her strawberry jam for which she was sure family and friends got to enjoy. For the Christmas holiday, it was the numerous batches of fudge she so enjoyed making to box up and hand out to family and friends. Another favorite pastime was reading and trading books with friends.

MaryJane loved going to the beach especially Wells/Moody Maine, several family trips to St. Thomas V.I. were taken in the past, along with Hawaii and Florida. Her backyard pool was her favorite summer destination. She so looked forward to shopping for clothes and holiday decor keeping up with the latest styles and trends.

MaryJane was predeceased by her parents Walter and Mary, her three brothers Walter Jr.(Bunny), Tom,and Jim Knightly, and her husband Bob, along with many of her close friends.
Surviving her is her four children Ken, Cindy (Roland), Deb(Ed), and Scott with whom she lived with. MaryJane had seven grandchildren, Tammy(Christopher) Kelly(Matt), Greg, Linsey (Matt), Ally, Ken, and Mikayla  (Joel), and five great grands Ryan, Nic, Miranda, Adeline and Nathan, that brought her such joy and she so embraced every moment she had with them, also she was looking forward to her sixth great to be born soon.

At the request and wishes from MaryJane there will be no calling hours or funeral services.

Burial will be at the convenience of the family. Donations can be made in MaryJane’s memory to the American Heart Association, American Cancer Foundation, or a charity of your choice.

Please feel free to visit the memorial guest book at www.Douglassfuneral.com

 

Joyce M. Weigel died April 21, 2023 in Hadley, MA.  She was born in Forest Glen, Maryland in 1929 and was active in numerous organizations throughout her youth.  She was a past Queen of Job’s Daughters, a member of Kappa Delta Sorority, and a treasurer of her class at American University where she graduated with a B.A. in psychology.  Joy married Charlie who predeceased her in 1996; they had two children, Cynthia and Miles, and four grandchildren.

Joy loved to travel with Charlie and later with each of her grandchildren (Michael, Alicia, Max and Sarah), visiting over 35 countries.  She was active in her church, serving as an Elder in the Kennett Square, PA Presbyterian church and, together with Charlie, as a leader of the Senior Youth fellowship for four years.  Joy was known for Ikebana flower arranging, making beautiful, unique arrangements for the Westminster Presbyterian church for a number of years.  She loved music, theater, bridge, gourmet cooking and being with family and friends.

Joy was a volunteer for her local Hospital Auxiliary, offering comfort and information.  She was one of the founders of Encore, a resale shop for the Chester County Hospital, where she was its first manager for eight plus years.  Later she helped start and was chairman for over twenty years of the Westminster Church’s Thrift Shop.    She was a Lifelong Learner, enjoying courses at the University of Delaware and always willing to try something new even into her nineties when she participated in a choir and a play. 

We all will miss her joyful spirit, confidence and determination.  She is survived by her children and their spouses, Karl and Char, her grandchildren and Sarah’s spouse, Robert, nieces and their families. 

Services will be held for immediate family and friends. 

Donations may be made to the Center Church of South Hadley, One Church Street, South Hadley, MA 01075 or to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation, 28 West 44th Street, Suite 609, New York, NY 10036.

 

Joyce M. Weigel died April 21, 2023 in Hadley, MA.  She was born in Forest Glen, Maryland in 1929 and was active in numerous organizations throughout her youth.  She was a past Queen of Job’s Daughters, a member of Kappa Delta Sorority, and a treasurer of her class at American University where she graduated with a B.A. in psychology.  Joy married Charlie who predeceased her in 1996; they had two children, Cynthia and Miles, and four grandchildren.

Joy loved to travel with Charlie and later with each of her grandchildren (Michael, Alicia, Max and Sarah), visiting over 35 countries.  She was active in her church, serving as an Elder in the Kennett Square, PA Presbyterian church and, together with Charlie, as a leader of the Senior Youth fellowship for four years.  Joy was known for Ikebana flower arranging, making beautiful, unique arrangements for the Westminster Presbyterian church for a number of years.  She loved music, theater, bridge, gourmet cooking and being with family and friends.

Joy was a volunteer for her local Hospital Auxiliary, offering comfort and information.  She was one of the founders of Encore, a resale shop for the Chester County Hospital, where she was its first manager for eight plus years.  Later she helped start and was chairman for over twenty years of the Westminster Church’s Thrift Shop.    She was a Lifelong Learner, enjoying courses at the University of Delaware and always willing to try something new even into her nineties when she participated in a choir and a play. 

We all will miss her joyful spirit, confidence and determination.  She is survived by her children and their spouses, Karl and Char, her grandchildren and Sarah’s spouse, Robert, nieces and their families. 

Services will be held for immediate family and friends. 

Donations may be made to the Center Church of South Hadley, One Church Street, South Hadley, MA 01075 or to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation, 28 West 44th Street, Suite 609, New York, NY 10036.

 

Margaret Carney (Hunt), born in Ware Massachusetts, has passed away peacefully in her sleep at age of 95 at the Elaine Center of Hadley on April 19th, 2023. 

Her husband Andrew is deceased, and she is survived by her son Thomas Carney, daughter Donna Waldron, five grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.

Margaret worked at Hamilton Newell in Amherst starting right out of high school and did everything from typesetting to bookkeeping and sales for many decades. Margaret was very religious and was heavily involved with the former United Church of Pelham as a member, treasurer and a deacon for over twenty-six years.  She volunteered at the Cooley Dickinson Hospital Coffee Shop and once said she had over 8,000 volunteer hours.  Margaret loved to travel and, along with her sister-in-law Joan, visited and enjoyed many countries.  Margaret will be extremely missed.

Calling hours are from 5:00 pm until 7:00 pm on Tuesday April 25th.  A graveside service will be held Wednesday April 26th at 10:00am., at the South Amherst Cemetery.

Memorial guestbook at www.douglassfuneral.com

 

Richard Robert Sawicki of Granby passed away Tuesday 4/11/2023 at home after a short illness.

Born June 21, 1939, in Northampton, to Chester (deceased) and Anna (Mish) Sawicki (deceased).

Richard graduated from Hopkins Academy in 1957.  Richard began his career in the Coast Guard, stations on the Cape, serving 4 years being honorably discharged in 1963.  Richard settled in Amherst and began his family.  Moving to Pelham in 1963 and resided in Pelham until 2015. 

Richard worked many different jobs throughout his life with the last employer being Warner Brothers Construction, where he remained until his retirement after 44 years.  During Richard’s earlier years he enjoyed camping with his family and friends on the Cape, fishing, and spending time with his two sons. 

In 1989 Richard met Cheryl Stone and they were married on June 30, 1990.  They enjoyed 33 years of marriage, creating loving memories with their families, as well as 33 years of camping and fishing in Maine with friends.  Richard spent many Saturdays’ golfing at the various golf courses in the Amherst area.

Richard is survived by his wife Cheryl, son Scott (Denise) of Shutesbury, Christine Dejlitko of Meriden, CT, Amy (Paul) Gravell of Meriden, CT, Kelly Parziale (Marlinda) of Elizabethtown, KY. Grandchildren, Kevin (Jessica) Sawicki of Milford, Sean (Rebekah) Sawicki of Winchendon, Erin Sawicki of Shutesbury, Christian Sawicki of NY, Cody & Connor Wilczak of Meriden, CT, Katlynn & Madison Parizale of Elizabethtown, KY, Gavin Parziale of MO, and Isabelle Gravell of Meriden, CT.  Great-Grandchildren Madison and Emileigh Sawicki of Chicopee and Luke Sawicki of Winchendon.  He is also survived by his brothers-in-law Greg Stone of Belchertown, Gerald Young of Ludlow, Cleon “Buzzy” Booth of Pelham and Ernest Booth of Northampton.  As well as several nieces and nephews. Richard will be missed for his great smile, contagious laugh, and his gentle and kind personality.

Richard is pre-deceased by his parents, his brother David Sawicki and his son Richard R. Sawicki, Jr.

At the request of the family there will be no calling hours.  A graveside service will be held at Valley Cemetery located at North Valley Road, Pelham on June 3, 2023, at 11:00 with a reception being held at the Belchertown VFW immediately following the cemetery service.

Please consider donating in Richard’s name to the American Kidney Foundation at http://secure.kidneyfund.org.