Roland Arthur Campbell, husband of Alice, and father of Brenda O’Gara and Gene Campbell, passed away peacefully at home on October 17th, with his loving family and caregivers by his side.

     Born on May 23rd, 1925, in Pelham, he was the middle son of Paul H. and Helen L. Campbell. He grew up exploring the many paths and streams of Pelham, always cherishing the nature and history of his beloved town.

    Roland attended the Pelham School and Amherst High School. He  was a student at Bowdoin College until he was called to active duty for the Army in 1943.

Over the years, he has shared his WWII experiences, always describing himself as an Infantryman. On October 22nd, 1944, he was wounded in battle. His service in the U.S. Army concluded with an honorable discharge, and the awarding of a Purple Heart. Throughout his life, he remained a patriot, with the protection and strengthening of our country always in his heart.

    Roland returned home, graduated from the University of Massachusetts, and eventually began a lifetime career with the United States Postal Service.

 In 1946, Roland married the love of his life, Alice Louise Ward.  They built a home in a family-owned apple orchard, in the neighborhood where they grew up, and enjoyed life with their children, friends, neighbors and church. They celebrated their 75th wedding anniversary on June 8th, 2021.

    Roland will forever be remembered and loved by his grandchildren, Scott, Jonathan, and Abigail, for the love, support, and encouragement that he consistently offered, and for his never-ending pride in them. Some of his happiest moments were spent at football, hockey, baseball games, and dance recitals.

    Roland has always been a fan of local and New England sports. He  treasured spending time in his lush gardens, and meticulously plowing snow in the winter. He loved occasionally dining out with Alice, and taking yearly trips to Maine, where he and Alice had honeymooned. Fishing from a boat or the shore, with a hand-tied fly or a worm, always made him happy, and any time spent on a woodland path was therapy.

    Roland will be greatly missed by his adoring wife, Alice, his children, Brenda O’Gara and Gene (Rita), grandchildren Jonathan O’Gara (Sarah), Abigail Jobst (Evan), and Scott Campbell (Paige), and his sweet great grandson, Teddy Campbell, as well as his loving nieces and nephews.

    He was predeceased by his parents, brothers Paul and Norman, and son-in-law Paul O’Gara.

A graveside service will be held on Friday, October 22nd, at 1:00 at the North Valley Cemetery in Pelham. All are welcome.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to The Pelham Community Hall Table and Chair Fund ℅ Treasurer, 351 Amherst Road, Pelham, MA 01002.

Diana Carroll, Passed peacefully away on October 9, 2021.

She was born December 30, 1938 in Worcester, MA to Alice (Hunt) and Harry Moors.

Graduated Nursing School in 1959 and worked as an RN in Worcester, Amherst and Leeds, MA retiring in 2003. She was also a graduate of the University of Massachusetts – Amherst through their University Without Walls Program.

Diana was a long-time member of St. John’s Church in Northampton where she served many roles from being a lay reader to visiting parishioners who were unable to attend the service. She was deeply involved with SCHC, joining in the 1970’s.

Diana enjoyed gardening, bird watching, camping, kayaking and especially traveling to various locations like Israel, England, Ireland, Oregon and Colorado.

Diana is survived by her companion Richard Gorman; her sister Sandra Charbonneau; her children, Sharon Hebert (and her husband Len), Steven Carroll (and his wife Chasi), Nancy Carroll (and Norman Mackenzie), Elizabeth Carroll and Jennifer Loreto; her former husband William Carroll; her grandchildren Daniel, Jacqueline, Meghan, Michelle, Matthew, James, Kelsey and Jason and six great grandchildren. She was pre-deceased by her grandson Michael and her son-in-law Steve.

A memorial service will be held at St. John’s Church, Northampton on Sunday, October 24 at 2:00. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Hospice of the Fisher Home, 1165 North Pleasant Street, Amherst, MA 01002. Memorial guestbook at www.douglassfuneral.com

Robert (Bob) Mitchell Schmid of Leverett, Massachusetts,t died September 24, 2021 at Linda Manor Extended Care Facility after a long struggle with CIDP and Parkinson’s Disease.  He was born on December 25, 1944 in Baltimore, Maryland to Doris and Orville Schmid.  He was a 1966 graduate of Gettysburg College where he majored in History and received his MEd from the University of Massachusetts in 1974.

He is survived by his wife, Georgiana (Bollard) Schmid, his son, Ethan Haines Schmid, and his daughter, Lena Katharine Schmid.  He was predeceased by his infant son, Erik Vanderbrouk Schmid.  He leaves his sister, Kathi Grant of Evanston, Ill. and her family as well as his wife’s extended family. The family would like to extend its heartfelt thanks to the staff of Linda Manor for their dedicated care over the last eighteen months.

Robert served in the Army during the Vietnam War.  He was deployed in January 1968 and honorably discharged in June 1969.  He was stationed between Quang Tri and Dong Ha, close to the demilitarized zone.  Although he was opposed to the war before he was sent to Vietnam and had an opportunity to postpone his service by attending graduate school, he felt he should not be exempt due to his privilege.  During his service he was exposed to Agent Orange which he believed contributed to his deteriorating neurological diseases.  Like many veterans before and after him, he suffered from PTSD.  Upon his return from Vietnam, he participated in Operation Dewey Canon III, organized by Vietnam Veterans Against the War, during which veterans threw back their medals in opposition to the continueing conflict.  Robert served on the Veteran’s Advisory Board and as a speaker in local high schools for the Veteran’s Education Project.  He was a supporter of Veterans for Peace. He will be remembered by many for his progressive views and anti-war advocacy.

Robert taught history at St. Paul’s School in New Hampshsire and was a counselor at Greenfield High School, Franklin County Technical School, and Brattleboro High School.  In his profession as a counselor he was a strong advocate for students. 

When his children were young, he built them a wooden swing set.  He spent several summers constructing swing sets and play equipment for other families.  In the winters, he built an ice skating rink for his children and to share with family and friends.

This interest was the beginning of an extended career in construction.  After his retirement from Brattleboro High School, he became a licensed contractor.  He particularly enjoyed helping senior citizens and individuals with repairs and accomodations that helped them remain in their homes.

Robert enjoyed biking, vegetable gardening, renovating his home, sports, politics, rock and roll music, and watching M*A*S*H.

Donations in his honor can be made to the Veterans Education Project, P.O. Box 416, 409 Main Street, Amherst, MA 01004 or online to Veterans for Peace. Memorial guestbook at www.douglassfuneral.com

Alfred Rabinski, 98, of Northampton, died September 21, 2021. He was born March 5, 1923 in Amherst to the late Adam and Antoinette Rabinski. Alfred was never married, but had a special relationship with his sister Veronica, who died in 2012. He was a long time communicant of St. Brigid’s Church, Amherst. A graveside service will be held Tuesday October 5, at 11:00 am In St. Brigid’s Cemetery, Hadley.

Robert (Bob) Edwin Garmirian of Amherst, MA died at his home on August 25, 2021 after a 2 -year battle with pancreatic cancer at the age of 72.  The son of Rachel and Edwin Garmirian, Bob was born in New York City on March 27, 1949.  He lived in Bayside and Douglaston, Queens until 1972 when his family relocated to Montrose, New York.

Bob’s love of adventure and passion for the outdoors was evident at an early age, and sharing it with others would be his life’s work.  As a child, many of his most cherished experiences were as a camper and then counselor at Deerfoot Lodge in Speculator, N.Y.  Bob attended Hope College and graduated from Franconia College, where he majored in Outdoor Education.  He then began his career at Albuquerque Academy and The White Mountain School in Littleton, N.H.  In 1979, Bob became the Director of Athletics and Outdoor Programs at Hampshire College, where he would stay for over 35 years, until his retirement in 2015. Bob climbed extensively in the United States, Europe, and the Middle East, guiding, training, and sharing this love with friends, family, and students.

Bob will be most remembered for being a wonderful father and grandfather.  His delight and constant love for his daughters, and the way his eyes lit up when he talked about them, will live forever.  He will be remembered for his kindness, his adventurous and bright spirit, his wonderful sense of humor, and the care and compassion he shared with his family and friends.  He touched so many lives as he guided, listened to, and mentored the people he loved.  He leaves a legacy of loving deeply, creating and conquering new challenges, and teaching others how to create and enjoy new adventures.

Bob is survived by his wife, Patricia and daughters, Jennifer (Brendan Childs), Lindsay (Scotty Kniaz), and their children Abigail Rose (5) and Theodore Edwin (2).  Bob is survived by his brothers Paul (Camille), James (Barbara), and his nieces and nephews.  He is predeceased by his sister Dawn who died in 2002.

A memorial service and hike is planned for Spring 2022.  In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to the Pancreatic Cancer Society in his honor. 

Dale Alice Homme died August 18, 2021 at Franklin Medical Center in Greenfield, MA. She was born in El Paso, Texas on March 30, 1950 to Herbert and Elizabeth (Seavey) Homme. Her first ten years were spent moving frequently in a military family. In 1961, the family settled in Amherst. She graduated from Amherst High School, Hartford College for Women and the University of Hartford Art School. She took further art studies at Greenfield Community College. Dale was an accomplished artist. Her prints, pottery and oil paintings have been shown locally, Hartford and the State House in Boston. Her great joys were sailing on Narragansett Bay and Nantucket Sound; fishing at the Quabbin, and growing beautiful gardens at her home in Turners Falls. Dale had a wonderful sense of humor, and a lovely smile, which she shared with all. Dale is survived by her sister, Anne Homme; niece Kate (Keyes) Vaughn, nephew Simon Henry Keyes. She also leaves great nieces Phoebe and Willa, and great nephew Gordon. Several cousins also survive her. Her beloved cat, Lucy will miss her. Memorial donations can be sent to the Dakin Animal Center A celebration of her life will be held at the convenience of the family. Memorial guestbook at www.douglassfuneral.com

BELCHERTOWN (MA) Roy Wentworth Owen, 82, of Jon Drive passed away peacefully at his home September 24 after a sustained battle with heart and kidney disease.

Born in Norwood, MA, May 4, 1939, to the late Alice (Wentworth) and Roger Owen, Roy was a 1957 graduate of Amherst Regional High School and known for his love of automobiles especially his “Merc.” He was a skilled truck driver who spent the last two decades of his life collecting antique International Farmall tractors and attending his granddaughters’ athletic events. He participated in tractor pulls across New England and was highly awarded, filling his house and garage with hundreds of first place trophies and ribbons. He even competed at the Southern National pulls in Mississippi. Roy’s last pull appearance was early August 2021 at the Cheshire Fair in NH where he was honored both for his years of participation and for his warmth and friendship to many.

Roy and his former wife, Judith Farrar, co-owned Owen’s Poultry Farm in Amherst during the 1970s and 80s, providing homemade chicken pies and roasted turkeys for twenty plus years to the local community. Roy could bone chicken breasts in seconds, knife flashing, while he chatted with family and employees. The farm always held a Thanksgiving eve pizza party; Roy and Judy answered the phone long into the night for customers who had a turkey or pie emergency. 

The farm had chickens of course but Roy collected many other animals over the years—appaloosas, goats, a herd of Scottish highland cattle, and many dog companions. He could charm any animal, rode horses confidently, and loved his cows even when their horns poked him occasionally.

But Roy’s first and last love was engines and vehicles —cars, trucks, motorcycles, and tractors. He returned to truck driving in the late 1980s and drove a concrete mixer truck for decades until he partially retired. He was always in demand especially if the hauling job involved backing a truck down a narrow drive at the edge of a precipitous drop. Roy was a proud lifelong member of Teamsters – Local 404.

As a side hobby Roy lovingly restored a 1953 Mercury, very similar to his high school vehicle, and drove it in parades or to Tom’s Hot Dogs on sunny days. And then he added Farmall tractors to his collection; his favorite, the 1206, was powerful and perfectly polished and won a small mountain of trophies. 

Roy retired in July 2020 and not necessarily willingly.  In January 2021 he renewed his commercial driver’s license and intended to work again.

Roy leaves behind his son, Robert Warren Owen of Alexandria, VA; his daughter, Deborah Owen Doulette and son-in-law Glenn of South Deerfield, MA; and his “favorite girls,” granddaughters Charlotte Joan Doulette and Lucia Owen Doulette; his sisters Dorothy Owen Glazier (ME), Ruth Owen Jones (MA), Marjorie Owen White (CA), Peg Owen DiGiammarino (CA); and his former wife Judith Farrar (MA); as well as supportive niece Felicia Farrar (MA) and her family. He is also survived by his tractor-pulling family in Haverhill, MA; his Amherst High School friends; his at-home caregiver Brenda; and countless other valued connections from Crystal River, FL to San Francisco, CA, and from Westmoreland, NH to Nantucket, MA.   

All funeral services will be private, but a celebration of life event is planned for Spring 2022.  In lieu of flowers, donations in Roy’s name may be made to either Friends of the Belchertown Fair, Inc.  FriendsofBtownfair@gmail.com; or New England IH Collectors Chapter #18, 201 Oak Street, Franklin, MA 02038. 

Colonel Howard Katsumi Sonoda, 78, of Amherst, Massachusetts passed away peacefully on Thursday, September 2, 2021. 

            He was married to Sybilla Sonoda for 46 years and is survived by his daughter, Soleil Sonoda, his step-son, Alexander Predel as well as a grandson, Maxim Predel-DeBuhr.

            Howard was born on November 29, 1942 in Honolulu, Hawaii.  His father, Dick Katsushi Sonoda, was a railroad worker and his mother, Kimiko Egami Sato, was a domestic helper.  According to Howard’s classmates, he was known for his preternatural ability to free-hand sketch anything. In 1965, Howard earned his bachelor’s degree from the University of Hawaii. While there, he participated in the Air Force Reserves Officers’ Training Corps (AFROTC). Following college graduation, Howard began his Air Force career commissioned as a Second Lieutenant. He served in various roles from being a Squadron Supply Operations Officer General  at Northeast Cape Air Force Station on Saint Lawrence Island in the Bering Sea, to being a Director of Logistics at Sembach Air Base in West Germany. In 1968, Howard met his wife Sybilla as a Captain stationed at Wunstorf Air Station in West Germany. After getting married in November 1972, he spent the last 20 years of his Air Force career serving in various roles such as being an Assistant Professor of Aerospace Studies at the University of Massachusetts Amherst (1976-1979), military attaché to Luftwaffe High Command (1980-1983), and being an American liaison to Allied Command of West Berlin (1983-1986).            

             In 1975, Howard earned his MBA in Business Administration from The Wharton Business School at the University of Pennsylvania. In 1992, Howard retired from the Air Force after serving for 27 years and made the decision to return to Amherst, Massachusetts. In 1996, Howard earned his MS in accounting from the University of Massachusetts Amherst. He worked for H&R Block and the IRS as a CPA. Howard was active in Amherst town meetings and participated in parent activities with Amherst Public schools.  He was an avid reader of history and science fiction, and he took great pleasure in dining out with friends and family.  Howard’s final wish was to be in the company of his daughter. He passed away without pain and without fuss. Memorial guestbook at www.douglassfuneral.com

Stephen “Steve” Walas (Berthiaume) 50, passed away quite suddenly Sunday August 8 at Baystate Medical. He had been suffering from an illness for sometime but complications ultimately led to his passing.

Steve was born in Northampton MA May 24 1971 to the late Patricia Ann Walas (Ocicki). Steve attended the Amherst schools and graduated from Amherst regional high school, he later went on to graduate from IT schooling for computers.

Steve loved to travel he spent a great deal of time in the southern states and Nantucket where he worked as a mason building houses making friends and where he met Jimmy Buffett. When Steve moved back to the area he settled down a bit with a girl he met while traveling and became a father to a girl.

Steve loved anything fast and art especially music; to him music was his own little world an escape from everything. He loved going to concerts and seeing as many bands as possible but he also enjoyed the quiet times alone just listening to classical music and reflecting on life.

Steve leaves behind his daughter Emma Rose Castillo (Walas), and grandson Elijah Castillo both of Naples FL. His loving sister Mandy Lynn Ocicki of Hadley, niece Lidia Healy and sister in law Laura Mendes both of South Hadley.

Steve was a unique person, to him this life was both a gift and a curse but he took it all in stride with a smile and a wise crack remark. Steve could see the good in the bad by making one of his infamous jokes just to see you smile and no one else can ever fill that void and that’s what made him so special you never knew what would come out of his mouth good or bad truth or lies but always funny. He always looked out for others even if it meant putting himself on the line and was always loyal to the ones he loved and held close. Steve will be sorely missed by his family friends and those who knew the real Steve. May you rest at ease in the tiki hut in the clouds.

A graveside service will be held Today, Tuesday September 21, at 1PM at Holy Rosary Cemetery in Hadley. Memorial guestbook at www.douglassfuneral.com

Amherst, MA. Mitchell Bruce “Mickey” Gervickas passed away on September 10, 2021 at home. He was 79 years old

Born in Ware, Ma. Mitchell enlisted US Marine Corps in May of 1959. He completed his recruit training at Marine Corps Recruit Depot, Paris Island, SC on August 18, 1959. One of Mickey loves was fishing with his father and 3 brothers. A favorite thing for Mickey to do was play pitch with his friends at the VFW.

As a young boy Mickey loved playing baseball. He was a big fan of the Boston Red Sox.

He proudly served as a Police Officer and Detective for the Springfield Police Dept for 18 years. He retired from the police force in 1988. He then went on to work as a custodian for the University of Massachusetts in Amherst.  

He was married to the late Barbara Knowels. Mitchell is survived by his son Shawn Gervickas, his daughter Robin DeAngleo, his three brothers Steve, Peter and Jeff as well as his sister Susan. Mitchell is also survived by four grandchildren, Anthony, Emily, Felicia and Ryan as well as two great-grandchildren, Savannah and Madison.

Funeral Services will be Tuesday September 21, at 10:00 am at The Douglass Funeral Service, Amherst. Memorial guestbook at www.douglassfuneral.com