Amherst, John M. Gallagher, Jr., 83, of Amherst, MA, passed away peacefully on Friday, May 20, 2016 surrounded by his loving family. He was born march 10, 1933 in Lowell Massachusetts to John and Anne Isabelle Gallagher.
He attended Holyoke high school class of 1951 and UMass Amherst class of 1955 with a bachelor’s degree in English and a Masters +30 in education. While attending the University of Massachusetts, he lettered as a goalie for the men’s hockey team. John proudly served his country in the US Army from 1955 to 1957. He married his “one and only forever love of his life”, his high school sweetheart, Lucy J Gomez, on September 8, 1956.
John leaves behind his son John M Gallagher III and his wife Jane P Gallagher and their two sons Patrick and Sean of Orange Connecticut. His daughters Kelley M. Wolejko and her husband Victor of Brewster Massachusetts and Anne and Ron Loftus and their son, Colton, of Belchertown Massachusetts.
John is also survived by his sister Katherine and her husband Ken Mormon of Nashua New Hampshire and their son, Neal. Brother, James Edward Gallagher and wife Terry of Osterville Massachusetts and their sons Tom, Matthew and Brendan.
He was predeceased by his brother Patrick Joseph.
John began his teaching career in Hatfield Massachusetts as a math and English teacher. He continued a 38 year teaching career within the Amherst school system including junior high English as well as guidance counseling. He was known by many as “The silver haired mentor”
John shared his love for athletics by coaching junior high school basketball and went on to coach for many years division one and two hockey for Amherst high school. In 1972 he celebrated a Division II state finalist runner up at the Boston Garden.
First and foremost John was a devoted family man, enjoying many vacations on the beaches of Cape Cod. He loved watching and supporting his children and grandchildren in their particular interests. He was a fan of all of the Boston teams and a “true champion for the underdog”. John loved golfing, too.

Funeral services will be 9:00 AM Tuesday May 24, from the Douglass funeral Service, Amherst. A Mass of Christian Burial will be at 10:00 AM at St. Brigid’s Church, Amherst, with burial following in Evergreen Cemetery, S. Hadley. Calling hours will be Monday May 23, from 4 – 7 PM at the Douglass Funeral Service, Amherst. In Lieu of flowers, donations may be made to his courageous nephew, Tom Gallagher c / o The Tom Gallagher Fund , 191 Beach Road , Unit D, # 211, Salisbury , MA 01952.

Hadley, Kenneth Dale Cook, 27, passed away unexpectedly on May 16, 2016 after a short illness at Cooley Dickinson Hospital.

Kenny, as he was known to all, was born in Randolph, Vermont on January 24, 1989 to Richard and Myrna Cook. He attended schools in Royalton, Vermont before moving back to Hadley where all his relatives resided. He then attended various schools around Hadley before he found his favorite place of learning which turned out to be Riverside Industries in Easthampton. He eagerly went there and touched many people’s lives.

He leaves his parents of Hadley, his brother Kevin and wife Sara of Lebanon Township, New Jersey, and his nieces and nephews Bryce, Paige, and Quinn. Kenny also leaves many aunts, uncles, and cousins in the surrounding area.

Kenny enjoyed listening to music, watching videos, swimming in his pool, and attending UMass sporting events. He also had a strong liking of Atkins apple squares and a fondness for pepperoni pizza, and he was never shy about wishing everyone a “Happy Birthday.”

Calling hours will be Friday, May 20, 2016 from 5-7:30PM at the Douglass Funeral Service in Amherst. Private funeral services will follow.

In lieu of flowers donations may be made to Riverside Industries, 1 Cottage St, Easthampton or Whole Children, 41 Russell St, Hadley.

Hadley, Shirley Mentin, 93, passed away on May 11, 2016 peacefully in her sleep.  She was born to Lena and Nathan Ecker in Newark, New Jersey on February 4, 1923.  They moved to the Bronx, in New York City when she was 6 years old.  She graduated from Morris High School and went on to Hunter College.

She met the love of her life, David Mentin when they both were employed in a greeting card store. She then worked for the Department of Labor in New York City as a statistician.

They wed in 1944 when Dave was on furlough from the army.  They raised their two children, Howard and Nina in Bayside, Queens, New York.  Shirley worked as a bookkeeper for King Karol Records in New York City for 30 years.  She was an active volunteer in the Mended Hearts Organization in Nassau County, New York.  They moved To Amherst, Massachusetts in October 2000 to be close to their children and grandchildren.  While in Amherst, they both did volunteer work for Big Brothers Big Sisters of Hampshire County.  Her beloved Dave passed away in 2002 after 59 years of wedded bliss.

Shirley will be missed by all who knew her and a special thanks to the extraordinary care she received at Genesis Sunbridge of Hadley.

Shirley is survived by her son Howard and wife Ellen Mentin.  Daughter and husband – Nina Mentin and Steven Palatt. Her four grandchildren- Jesse Hofrichter, Emily and husband Dwayne Mentin Chamble, Isaac and wife Kristen Palatt, Brooke and her husband Ruwan Karunanande.  Shirley also leaves behind her 3 precious great grandchildren, Zion, Nolan and Rosie.  Shirley is survived by her sister Florence Spotkov and several nieces and nephews.

AMHERST – Robert “Bob” Wellman, 83, died peacefully at his home on May 8, 2016 with his family by his side.

 Born January 18, 1933 in Lima, Ohio, he was the son of the late Howard and Mary (Ireland) Wellman.  He grew up in Lima and Brooklyn, Ohio with his beloved grandmother Grace always by his side.  He graduated valedictorian from Brooklyn High School and received a scholarship to Dartmouth College where he began his great adventure.

At Dartmouth Bob’s goal was to be a zookeeper and in 1954, he earned a bachelor’s degree in Zoology.  Drafted into the Army during the Korean War he developed his lifelong passion for philosophy and learning reading Plato, Aristotle, Socrates and Dewey.  This inspired him to pursue an alternative road. He went to London, earned a Master’s Degree in Science Teaching, History of Science at the University of London and fell in love with England.  He also fell in love with his beloved wife Avril.  Returning to the USA with baby on board he became serious about a career and earned his Ph.D. in “Philosophy of Education and History of Science” from Ohio State University in 1962.  Shortly thereafter he became a professor at the University of Massachusetts and brought his young family to Amherst. 

During his tenure at UMass, Bob held numerous academic and administrative positions including University Ombudsman, Professor and Director of Educational Philosophy, Secretary of the Faculty Senate, where he wrote the Wellman Document defining University governance, and Director of the Adult and Higher Educational Leadership Program.  He was a visiting professor at the Universities of Washington, Illinois and Wisconsin, and most notably he received a Fulbright to the University of Tehran, Iran where he fell in love with the culture and made many dear lifelong friends. 

Bob retired Professor Emeritus from UMass in 1994, but he was far from done.  He turned his energies and passion for teaching and learning towards K-12 education and worked tirelessly with many teachers in Chicopee and other schools in Western Massachusetts through Framingham State College. 

Bob was a staple in the Amherst Community serving as a town meeting member, a Rao’s coffee regular and the whistler at Atkins.  Sunday mornings won’t be the same for his dear friends. 

Bob is survived by the love of his life Avril, daughter Beth and her husband Mark, son Alex and wife Jen, and the pride of his life, his three grandchildren, Michelle, Sam and Vic.

A memorial Service celebrating his life will be held 3:00pm, Sunday, July 10, at the South Congregational Church in South Amherst.

In lieu of flowers, donations made be made in Bob’s name to a charity of your choice.

Northampton, Dr. Harry Oldham Brooks passed away peacefully on Saturday May 7^th, 2016 at Care One Nursing Center in Northampton, MA. His daughters and daughter-in-law were at his side. He was 82 years old.

He is survived by his daughters, Jerusha Brooks and Samantha Brooks, his daughter-in-law, Aimee Ballard and his granddaughter, Ashley Smith, who all reside in Southwest Virginia. His beloved wife, Paulette Henderson Brooks, passed away in 2014.

Dr. Brooks was born in Camden, NJ in 1933. He received his PhD in Educational Policy, Research, and Administration from the University of Massachusetts and his M.S. and B.S in Electrical Engineering from the University of Vermont. He served as an Amherst Town Meeting representative for 22 years, a Select Board member for the town of Amherst for one term and was a long time member of Sugarloaf Mountain Athletic Club, serving as president for several years. He served on numerous other boards and committees during his residencies in both Amherst, MA and Burlington, VT.

He was an avid runner and completed dozens of marathons across the country including Boston, New York, San Francisco and Houston. He was an Officiant for USA Track and Field and Western Massachusetts Track and Field and served as Vice President for USA Track and Field- New England. He was a local torch bearer for the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta.

His Town Meeting colleagues are planning a memorial service for Dr. Brooks during the Memorial Day weekend. His daughters are planning a celebration of life ceremony which will take place later this summer. More details on both events will be released in the future.

Amherst, Marietta R. Iantosca, 105, of Amherst, MA passed away peacefully, Sunday May 8, 2016 at the Center for Extended Care at Amherst.

She was the loving and devoted wife of the late Angelo Iantosca, who passed away in 1989 after 51 years of marriage. She will be truly missed by her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren, whom she was fondly known to as “Mama Mae.”

Born March 6, 1911 in Manhattan, NY to Anthony and Rose {Guadagno} Lovetere, she was the sixth of nine children. When she was eight years old she moved to East Boston, MA where she resided until her marriage. She then moved to Amherst where she was a resident for the past 66 years.

She is survived by her daughters Barbara Cooney and her husband Richard of Kensington, CT and Frances Iantosca of Amherst and her three grandsons and their wives, Mark and Lisa Cooney of Northford, CT., Michael and Gina Cooney of Shrewsbury, MA., and Kyle and Tracy Cooney of Kensington, CT. She is also survived by her seven great-grandchildren, Lauren, Andrew, Griffin, Kasey, Emily, Jenna and Aiden, her sister V. Grayce Driscoll of CT., and sister- in-law Helen Iantosca of MA., and several nieces and nephews.

She was predeceased by her four brothers, Anthony, Angelo, Dominic and John and her three sisters, Rose, Josephine and Mary. She was also predeceased by her great-granddaughter Lynsey Rose Cooney.

She was a recipient of the Golden Cane from the town of Amherst when she was 103 years old.

A special thanks to Dr. Andrew Hall, Fr. John Smegal at St. Brigid’s Church, the care givers at the Center for Extended Care at Amherst and her many special friends.

Calling hour will be Thursday May 12, 2016 from 9:30 -10:30 at the Douglass Funeral Service, Amherst, with a Mass of Christian burial at 11:00 am at St. Brigid’s Church, Amherst. Burial will follow in St. Brigid’s Cemetery, Hadley.

Pelham, Michaeline P. Yezierski, 69 passed away, April 29, 2016 at her home in Pelham. 

Michaeline was born in Northampton, MA on March 17, 1947, the daughter of Claire (Reed) Yezierski and the late Jerome (Herman) Yezierski. 

She graduated from Hopkins Academy in 1964, graduated from the Cooley Dickinson School of Radiology.  She worked in her field along with other careers including working for multiple departments at the University of Massachusetts.  She retired from the University in 2001. 

Michaeline was an avid crafter, gardener and loved to read.  She enjoyed spending time with her many nieces and nephews.  Michaeline could be found watching birds and enjoying the outdoors. 

She was predeceased by her father Jerome (Herman) Yezierski and brother-in-law Steven Waskiewicz.  She leaves her brother Jerome R. Yezierski his wife, Donna Yezierski, sister Maureen Waskiewicz, sister Joanne Thornton her husband, Paul Thornton.  She also leaves her serval nieces and nephews along with grandnieces and nephews. 

Funeral services will be 10:00 AM Friday, May 6, 2016 at the Douglass Funeral Service, Amherst. A calling hour will precede the service from 9:00 -10:00 AM. Burial will follow in North Hadley cemetery.    

Donations may made to Dakin Humane Society, PO Box 6307, Springfield, MA 01101 in her memory or any other charity of your choice.

Amherst, Helen Hien Armentano, 94, passed away peacefully on Wednesday, April 20, 2016 at the Center for Extended Care in Amherst, Massachusetts. She was born in Munich, Germany on August 2, 1921 to Xavier and Maria (Kugler) Hien and emigrated to Brooklyn, New York in 1947, where she married Vincent Armentano, raised three children, and worked as a professional seamstress. She moved to Massachusetts to live with her daughter, Marie, and granddaughter , Katherine, in 1999.  She lived an active life, and loved to share her knitting, sewing, food, and vibrant personality with family and friends. She was a loving mother and grandmother and her memory will be cherished. 

She is survived by her brother Ludwig Hien (Leni) of Munich, Germany; her daughter Dr. Marie Armentano of Amherst, MA; her daughter Dolores Armentano Grobe (Matthew) of Northport, NY; her son Dr. Louis Armentano (Sue) of Oregon, WI, as well as four grandchildren, Allison Grobe (Aaron Steffensmeier) of New York, NY, Carolyn Grobe Ingram (Stuart) of East Northport, NY, Vincent Armentano (Lucy) of Hamden, CT, and Katherine Armentano of Amherst, MA. She was preceded in death by her husband Vincent, sister Josephine, and brother Ernst.   

The family would like to extend gratitude to the staff of Center for Extended Care at Amherst for the care they bestowed upon Helen in her last years.  Friends and relatives will be received at the Douglass Funeral Home at 87 North Pleasant Street in Amherst on Saturday afternoon, April 30, from 2-4 PM.  

Nashua, N.H., Alfred X. Powers, passed away at St. Joseph’s Hospital in Nashua, NH on March 24, 2016

Born and raised in Brockton, MA., he attended Brocton High where he excelled in track and swimming. He received many medals in both sports.

He enlisted in the U.S. Navy during WWII where he served in the Philippines.

After the war he attended Fitchburg State College achieving a Master’s of Education degree.

He first worked at the University of Massachusetts, and then taught for the Springfield, MA school system for nearly 30 years before his retirement.

He was an excellent golfer and was a member of the Amherst Golf Club as long as his health would permit.

During winter months he belonged to bowling leagues in both Springfield and Northampton.

After his retirement, he officiated track meets at local schools.

He was a life member of the VFW and former member of the Chicopee Elks.

He was pre-deceased by his wife of 55 years, Vesta C. Powers. He is survived by a loving and grateful family and will be fondly remembered by all who knew him.

All funeral services are private.

Pelham, H. Gilmore “Gil” Rinard passed away at the age of 75 on Thursday, March 31, 2016 in his Pelham, Massachusetts home surrounded by family. Gil was born on May 28, 1940 to Paul and Kathrine Rinard of Newark, Delaware. He graduated from the University of Delaware and went on to study psychiatric nursing at Yale University.  He worked at several local hospitals over the years, including the VA, Brattleboro Retreat and Springfield Municipal Hospital.

In his free time, he was a devoted craftsman and woodworker. His furniture, musical instruments, and lampshades grace many homes, and his generosity in sharing his talents will live on. In addition, Gil had a tremendous love of music and art, which he shared with all who knew him. He was an avid reader, a scholar of languages, and had a thirst for knowledge and understanding of other cultures. He will be remembered for both his whimsical sense of humor and his sound and wise advice.

He will be deeply missed by his family and friends, including his wife of 47 years, Ruth, along with three children; John Rinard (Melanie Lanier) and their children Ali and Drew; Kate Rinard (John Coronella) and their children Charlie, Julia and Natalie; Millie (Seth) Webster and their sons Ben, Will and Eli. He delighted in his grandchildren, who will remember him best for his animal noises, funny faces and fascination with insects. 

Gil’s funeral will take place at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Amherst on Sunday, April 17, 2016 at 1pm with Reverend Steven Wilco officiating. In lieu of flowers, please reach out to someone you care about and let them know how much they mean to you. This is the day that we have been given; let us rejoice and be glad in it.