Deborah Jane Long, of Amherst, Massachusetts., Daughter of Wesley S. and Dorothy M. Long, aged 62, was born on June 11, 1957; she died on November 29, 2019. Deborah was a retired Division Chief of the National Wildlife Refuge System’s Northeast Region of the Department of the Interior, in Hadley, from 2009 through 2019, providing field support to 75 refuges in 13 New England and Mid-Atlantic states protecting over 550,000 acres of habitat.
Deb grew up on Lloyd Neck, Huntington, NY, and attended Cold Spring Harbor H.S. where she developed a passion for nature and the outdoors. A graduate of Colorado State University (1979) with a BS in Biology and Zoology, and with an MBA and Teaching Certificate in Applied Science from the University of Colorado, Deb commenced her career as an environmental scientist and middle school teacher. Her 27 year career with the US Fish and Wildlife Service and the Wildlife Refuge System started at Denver’s Rocky Mountain Arsenal Wildlife Refuge in 1992, followed by assignments in Chatham, Mass, Southern New Jersey and Long Island, NY. In June 2019, Deb was granted the Department of the Interior’s Superior Service Award.
Passionate about protecting and preserving the environment, Debbie was a mentor to many and fostered a collaborative team environment. She was a respected leader, advisor, and colleague whose impact is lasting and whose spirit has touched us all. We will miss Deb’s friendship, integrity, strength, kindness and her humble and unending sense of service and boundless dedication to family, friends and care for the environment.
Deb is survived by her loving and devoted daughter, Anna; sister, Barbara; nephew, Chris; niece, Kate; and loyal dog Hariett.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at the Newman Center, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, 472 North Pleasant Street, Amherst, on Saturday, December 14, 2019, at 11 AM.
In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to: Long Island Bird Conservation Program c/o Theodore Roosevelt Sanctuary and Audubon Center, Oyster Bay, NY 11771, or Hospice of the Fisher Home, Amherst, MA.

Molly May Robinson, age 94, passed away peacefully on December 11, 2019. She was born January 19, 1925 in England, to Albert and Bertha Kenzie. She became a war bride when she married the love of her life, Wilfred Robinson, in October of 1944.
Molly arrived in the states as a passenger on the Queen Mary. She loved to sew and was also a great cook. Plus, she was an avid knitter, skier, golfer, camper, and…surprisingly for someone from England…a Red Sox fan.
Molly worked at the Amherst Regional High School for many years. She will be remembered for her tireless and meticulous work in processing hundreds of college applications for high school seniors, while at the same time supporting the guidance counselors.
Molly is survived by daughter Pamela (Robinson) White and husband Tom White, daughter Lynn (Robinson) Watson and husband Gary Watson; grandchildren, Kristin Pettus and Megan White, step-grandson Cliff Watson; plus her many nephews and nieces, all of whom she loved deeply. Molly’s first great grandchild, Connor, is scheduled to arrive in March 2020.
Molly was pre-deceased by her husband Wilfred, who passed away in 2014, and her brother William (Bill) Kenzie, who passed away in 2009.
Please join us in celebrating her life on Monday, December 16th, between 10 a.m. and 11 a.m. at the Douglass Funeral Home in Amherst, MA. Burial will follow at the North Amherst Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to The Lewy Body Dementia Association at https://www.lbda.org/donate .
Many thanks to the staff in the Dharma Unit at The Center for Extended Care in Amherst. And thanks also to the Cooley Dickinson VNA Hospice. They both provided great care and comfort to Molly and her family.
 

Esther Jacobson Ph.D, mother of Debra Jacobson of Amherst, MA. and Charles Jacobson of Silver Spring, MD, grandmother of Rosa and Natasha Friedman and Adam Jacobson, died in Rockville, MD. Saturday morning. She was 95.

Doctor Jacobson is remembered for her wit and her mastery of the English language. She earned her PhD in English literature from Cornell during World War II and, after the war, taught returning veterans at New York’s Queens College and New York University. She then worked as a copy-editor until the early 1990s at Norton.

The funeral will be Wednesday, December 11, at 10am at the Jewish Community of Amherst. She will be interred next to her late husband, Louis Jacobson, at the JCA Cemetery.

Mourners are encouraged to make donations in her honor to the ACLU at https://action.aclu.org/give/donate-to-aclu-multistep.

For information: Gerald Friedman 43 Wildflower Dr., Amherst, MA. 01002.
Telephone 413-218-2701

Keith A. Connly, 51, of Conway, MA died suddenly of natural causes on Saturday, November 23, 2019.

Son of Patricia A. (Lashway) Connly and the late Richard P. Connly, Keith was born in Rutland, VT on August 9, 1968. Raised in Northampton, Keith graduated from Walton High School in Marietta, GA, after moving to that area when his father relocated for work during Keith’s senior year.

Keith attended Holyoke Community College and Worcester State University. His passion for cars led him to make his living in the automotive industry. He was employed by Sweeney Ford of Greenfield, Greg’s Auto Body of South Deerfield, Penske Corporation, Patriot Freightliner, and most recently with Ford of Northampton.

Keith had an unparalleled work ethic. To work with him was to work with a consummate professional. He always put the customer first and never left for the day unless the job was done and done to his high standards.
Keith was a passionate fan of the New England sports teams, America’s team – the Dallas Cowboys and the Fighting Irish of Notre Dame.

He had a great sense of humor and delighted in making people laugh. His own unique laugh will certainly be missed by all who knew him.

Keith loved the peaceful, natural setting of his home in Conway, surrounded by the rolling hills, woods and wildlife. A great day was one spent out on a lake taking in his surroundings and perhaps being lucky enough to catch a fish or two, but his best days were those spent with the loves of his life, his son Austin Robert and his daughter Emmalee. He could not have been more proud to be their father and rejoiced not only in their academic, athletic and artistic achievements, but more importantly by the remarkable young people they have become.

Keith is survived by Austin and Emmalee, their mother, Kimberly Connly and his mother, Patricia A. (Lashway) Connly all of Easthampton, his sister Michele C. Foote and her husband Robert of Holden, his brother Gregory A. Connly and his wife Barbara of North Easton, his brother Peter L. Connly and his wife Linda of Sturbridge, his brother Glenn R. Connly and his wife, Lyn of Florence, his brother Sean C. Connly and his wife Sarah of Leicester, twelve nieces and nephews and his best friend since childhood, Craig Kirouac of Northampton.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at St. Brigid’s Parish, 122 North Pleasant Street, Amherst, MA on Wednesday, December 4 at 10:00 am with burial to follow at St. Brigid’s Cemetery in Hadley. Calling hours will be at the Douglass Funeral Home, 87 North Pleasant Street Amherst, MA on Tuesday, December 3 from 4:00 – 7:00 pm.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to the Connly Memorial Scholarship Fund: 

Checks can be mailed to either:
Florence Bank
5 Main Street
Easthampton, Ma 01027

OR

Connly Family
3 Sterling Drive
Easthampton, MA 01027

Christine L. (Walker) Wiley, 90, of North Amherst, Massachusetts, born October 9th 1929, passed away peacefully at Cooley Dickinson Hospital on November 22nd. Chris was predeceased by her husband Robert Wiley, son Lenerd Wiley, parents Newell and Hazel Walker, sister Marcia and her husband James Block, and sister-in-law Clara and her husband Gordon Chamberlin. Chris leaves her sons William Wiley, James Wiley and his wife Lisa and daughter-in-law Debbie. She also leaves her siblings and their spouses; Ruth and Leonard Lamoureux, Joyce and Roland Parent, and Lemuel and Louise Walker. She will be greatly missed by her nine grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren as well.

Chris was born in Southbridge, Massachusetts and began studies in nursing until her marriage to Robert Wiley of North Amherst. She worked at University Health Services at UMASS until her retirement. She was a member of the First Congregational Church of Sunderland and enjoyed quilting, cooking, baking, going to parades, spending time with her family, and visiting with her friends. Her family, by whom she was fiercely loved, wishes to express their deep gratitude to the staff of the Critical Care Unit at Cooley Dickinson Hospital for the care and dignity they showed Chris and her sons in the last days of her life.

A graveside service will be held on Saturday, November 30, 2019, at 10:30 am at the N. Amherst Cemetery. A reception will follow at the First Congregational Church of Sunderland.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to: Cooley Dickinson Hospital, c/o CCU Unit P.O. Box 329 Northampton, MA 01060

Susan Phyllis (Gold) Knapp, 73, of Belchertown, MA died on Monday, November 18, 2019 at 7:30 P.M. at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, surrounded by her family. She faced a long bout with lymphoma with strength and dignity. Sue was born on March 5, 1946 in Detroit, Michigan to Frances (Stellar) and Morris Gold. At an early age her family moved to Los Angeles, California where she grew up and attended school. She graduated from University of California, Berkeley with a major in Spanish and taught in the Oakland, California schools for 3 years.
In 1973 she accepted a position with the Department of Defense schools in Heidelberg, Germany. Sue taught at Heidelberg High School. When Heidelberg Middle School opened she was part of the original teaching staff and later became a guidance counselor working with the children of military families for 30 years. In Heidelberg she met her husband of 44 years, Richard Knapp. There they raised their three sons Bryan, Adam and Stephen.
In 2004, Susan and Richard retired and moved to Belchertown, Massachusetts to be near longtime friends and family. Sue was active in the Belchertown Democratic Committee and attended state conventions and canvassed for Democratic candidates. She was a founder of Belchertown’s CAN organization. She loved music and attended many “Jazz Shares” concerts and cultural events with Richard.
Sue will be remembered as a caring friend, a compassionate listener, a skilled Scrabble player, and someone who knew just when to add a dose of humor.
Susan is survived by her husband Richard, three sons, Bryan, Adam and Stephen, three grandsons and her oldest brother, Theodore. Her brother Burton passed in 2017.
Funeral services are planned for Friday, November 22 at 1:00 P.M. The ceremony will be held at Douglass Funeral Home in Amherst, Massachusetts. Burial follow at Wildwood Cemetery, Amherst.
Donations in Susan’s memory may be made to Cancer Connection in Northampton, Massachusetts. 

Amherst – David Russell Carlson, 83, of Amherst, passed away Sunday November 17, 2019, at his home surrounded by his loving family, following a long illness.

David was born on December 2, 1935, in Norwood, MA to the late Fred Alphons and Astrid Elizabeth (Peterson) Carlson. He graduated from Norwood High School in 1953. He graduated with honors from Upsala College in East Orange, NJ, in 1957. He met his wife, Mary Ellen Backels, at Upsala, and they were married on August 23, 1958 at the First Congregational Church in Waterbury, VT.

David and Mary lived in East Orange, NJ and moved to Lindsborg, KS, finally settling in Amherst in 1964. David’s career was rooted in higher education, first as Dean of Students at Upsala College, Dean of Admissions at Bethany College, and then Professor of English at Springfield College where he taught for 36 years until his retirement in 2003. He was a favorite professor and mentor to many Springfield College students.

David earned his PhD in Linguistics at the University of Massachusetts in 1973. His fields of research were the common speech of Boston, the history and structure of the English Language, and Medieval Literature. He was field researcher and contributor to The Dictionary of American Regional English, a member of the Linguistic Atlas Project, and served on the Board of the American Dialect Society.

David’s contributions to the Amherst community include a long tenure as Chair of the Zoning Board of Appeals. He identified improvements to the downtown area including the Bangs Community Center, the Carriage Shops and other building development projects. He and his neighbors formed a wetlands protection advocacy group to promote conservation in town neighborhoods.

A life-long Lutheran, he was proud of the fact that his childhood church was founded in the living room of his grandparents’ house. He was a member of Immanuel Lutheran Church in Amherst where he held several positions of leadership. He was on Immanuel’s first council, and chaired the property and space utilization committees, and the building expansion project. In addition to his contributions at the local level, David served on the New England Synod Council.

David loved golf, sports, his family, and his dogs. Golfing was one of David’s greatest passions. He was a long-time member of the Amherst Golf Club, where he played with the Legends and attained a hole-in-one. His friends will remember his dry wit and love for the Red Sox, Patriots, and Celtics. Ever devoted to his family, he cared for his wife, Mary, during her final illness, and was always quietly supportive, cooking the family dinners, providing advice, and leaving the porch light on so we could find our way home in the dark. He always had a pet dog, and his faithful dog Eddie was at his side at his passing.

David was predeceased by his wife of 59 years, Mary, and his sister, Betty (Carlson) Boaz. He is survived by his children, Kathryn, of Hadley, Daniel and his wife Carolyn, of Litchfield, CT, Claire and her husband Jack Czajkowski, of Hadley, and Peter Augustus “Gus” Carlson and his wife Jessica Carlson-Belanger, of Shutesbury; five grandchildren: Hilary, Andrew, Mary, Peter and Anna; his brothers, Fred Carlson and his wife Shirley, of Kingsport, TN, and Neil Carlson and his wife Marilyn of Lake Suzy, FL; and many nieces and nephews.

Calling hours will be held on Thursday, November 21 from 4:00 to 7:00pm at the Douglass Funeral Service, Amherst, MA. The funeral service will be held on Friday, November 22 at 10:00am at Immanuel Lutheran Church, Amherst, MA, followed by burial at Wildwood Cemetery. There will be a reception at Immanuel Lutheran Church immediately following the burial.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Immanuel Lutheran Church, 867 N. Pleasant St, Amherst, MA 01002.

Dr Daniel Krause Jr. a longtime resident of Amherst passed away on November 13th. Dan grew up in Sudbury, MA where early on his interest in the sciences and experimentation were nurtured by his family. His older brother and sister, Frank and Helen, who predeceased him also heavily influenced his life.

Dan received a PhD in physics from The University of Massachusetts at Amherst. He worked for 30 years at Amherst College beginning as a researcher in the physics department and later becoming a valued machinist. As a machinist, he helped create very tiny specialized parts for his fellow scientists’ experiments. He enjoyed teaching an intersession hands-on machining course and proudly proclaimed all his students ended his class with the same number of digits as they began the course. He was an avid gardener and black smith. His garden grew the usual collection of vegetables as well as a bumper crop of amaryllises. He freely shared his blooming amaryllises brightening local nursing homes. He enjoyed using his artistic side and sense of humor to create many metal sculptures including a scale model of the solar system, a trebuchet and many flying pigs. People who traveled down his street might be familiar with the large yellow orb (the sun) in his side yard. He always enjoyed when someone stopped to inquire about his lawn art.
Always ready for a challenge, he assisted creating a large solar whistle, a camera obscura as well as many other projects that caught his interest.

He had two great loves in his life: his wife of many years, Cynthia and physics. Dan’s and Cynthia’s lives intertwined and grew with each passing year. They supported and inspired each other’s idiosyncrasies. After the passing of his wife, Daniel found great love, friendship and community at Hope Community Church in Amherst.

Dan grew peaceful in his last days for he knew he would soon be rejoined with his beloved Cynthia. Dan leaves behind his blended family at Hope Community church, his sister -in-law Christine Harding, his brothers-in-law, William Tenanes and Jay Girard.

His life celebration will be held at Hope Community Church on Saturday, November 23rd at 3pm. It is requested that participants celebrate Dan’s casual style by wearing suspenders, red if you have them, but any color is acceptable.

In lieu of flowers please send donations to Hope Community Church.

Dan, a delightful human being, will be dearly missed.

Dr. John Alden Barbaro, born in Boston on September 9, 1946, to Deborah Sampson (Lee) Barbaro and Santo Carmelo (Samuel) Barbaro, then of Roxbury, MA, was a gifted psychologist and artist, beloved husband, treasured father, and active member of the Amherst community. Growing up in Quincy, MA, he attended UMass at Amherst as an undergraduate from 1964 to 1969, and then as a graduate student, where he earned a Doctor of Education in 1982. He married the love of his life, Susan Trottier Barbaro, on May 28, 1970, and they founded the private therapy practice High Street Therapy Associates in 1980, where he worked until he became incapacitated by his illness, progressive supranuclear palsy. John was involved in many local organizations throughout his life: President and Paul Harris Fellow of the Amherst Rotary Club, President of the Bioenergetic Society of CT, a member of the UU Society of Amherst, Assistant Scout Master of Troop 504, a Mason, a rank of 6th Yodan blackbelt in Aikido, and later a practitioner of Tai Chi. He was an active anti-war protester during the Vietnam War and was a passionate metal sculptor.
John leaves behind his wife of 49 years, Susan Trottier Barbaro; son, Gabriel A. T. Barbaro, daughter-in-law, Kaye Tengco Barbaro, and grandson, Theodore Jules Omer Barbaro, of Jersey City, New Jersey; daughter, Alethea B. T. Barbaro, son-in-law, Daniel Balague Guardia, and granddaughter, Nuria Susan Balague Barbaro, of Cleveland, Ohio; his older brother, Lee Barbaro, and sister-in-law, Chiyomi Kiode, of Kyoto, Japan; his younger brother, George Brooks, and nephew, John Woods Brooks, of Tampa, Florida and Louisiana, respectively; his youngest brother, Henry Barbaro and nephew, Lee Barbaro, of Boston; and many dear cousins and friends.
Calling hours are 5-7pm on Tuesday, November 19, at the Douglass Funeral Home. Burial will be Wednesday, November 20, at 10am in Wildwood Cemetery in Amherst. A Memorial service will be held at a later date. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in John’s name to Cure PSP, 1216 Broadway, 2nd Floor, NY, NY 10001.

Joseph R. Leal, 101, passed away quietly at the Holyoke Soldiers’ Home, surrounded by his loving family, November 1. Born September 14, 1918 to Mary Rogers and Joaquin Leal, Dr. Leal was raised in New Bedford and graduated from the New Bedford Textile School (UMass Dartmouth). Although he was deferred, Dr. Leal joined the Army in 1943. Following basic training he was stationed in Amherst, MA where he met Mary Desmond. They were married in April 1944 while he was on a weekend pass from Ft. Detrick, MD where he was a Chemical Laboratory Assistant. Following his discharge from the Army in November, 1945, Dr. Leal graduated from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, with a B.S. degree in Chemistry. He then attended Indiana University where he earned a Ph.D. in Chemistry. After graduation, Dr. Leal went to work for American Cyanamid Co in New Jersey as a research chemist. While in school, Dr. Leal had two sons, Joseph and Michael. Two daughters, Patricia and Victoria, were born while in New Jersey. While working for American Cyanamid, Dr. Leal transferred to Washington, D.C., where he was a contract specialist, and to Stamford, CT, where he was a laboratory supervisor. In 1967, Dr. Leal went to work for Celanese Research Company and moved to Maplewood, NJ. As a Senior Staff Associate with Celanese, Dr. Leal worked with the US Air Force and NASA in the development of nonflammable fabrics to protect pilots and astronauts. After retiring from Celanese, Dr. Leal worked as a consultant for Contract Administration, R & D Marketing and High Performance Materials and traveled. In 1997 Dr. and Mrs. Leal moved to South Hadley, MA to be closer to their children and grandchildren. Dr. Leal was predeceased by his son Joseph and his wife of 53 years, Mary. He is survived by his son Michael, daughters Patricia (Welch) and Victoria (Leal-Bushey), daughter-in-law, Jane Leal, 7 granddaughters, 3 great granddaughters and 2 great grandsons. The family wishes to express its gratitude to the staff of the Soldiers’ Home in Holyoke for the respect and care provided in the past year.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be Thursday November 7, 2019, 11:30 am at St. Brigid’s Church, Amherst. Burial will follow in St. Brigid’s Cemetery, Hadley. Calling hours will be from 10:00 – 11:00am at the Douglass Funeral Service, Amherst.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the Holyoke Soldiers’ Home.