Amherst – Lester N Cunningham, 90, died peacefully at home on Sunday March 24, 2019.

He leaves his wife of nearly 70 years, Dorothy (Kolasinski) Cunningham; his son, Gary and his wife Roxanne (Martin); Daughter Gail and her husband Robert Hammel, Daughter Jayne and her husband Henry Walas; and daughter Lynn and her husband David Hayes. He is also survived by his sister Bonnie and her husband Edward Wroblewski along with eight grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren.

Lester, also known as Jack, was born in California but spent the majority of his life in Cushman. He was the son of John and Doris (Harlow) Cunningham. He graduated from Amherst High School in 1946 and went on to have a career at Western Mass Electric and Northeast Utilities retiring after 42 years of service.

There will be a private family service and burial.

Howard Mentin passed away on March 22, 2019. He was born to Shirley and David Mentin on October 14, 1947 in the Bronx. He grew up in Queens and attended Pace College where he graduated with a business degree. He met Ellen in 1973 and they married six months later. Their daughter Emily was born in 1982 and they all moved to Amherst in 1983. Howard began working in record shops with his father in NYC, which ignited his lifelong love for music. He was a businessman in various capacities throughout his 35 years in Amherst. As a second career he worked in the Amherst schools with students with special needs.

Howard was a special human being. He was kind, generous, and an exceptional listener. He was truly loved by all who came to know him.

Howard is mourned by many but especially his wife Ellen of 45 years, his daughter Emily, her husband Dwayne, and their son Zion. He leaves behind his sister Nina Mentin and her husband Steven Palatt and their children Jesse Hofrichter and Simone Polanen, Isaac and Kristen Palatt and their children Nolan and Rosie, and Brooke and Ru Karunanande.

The funeral will be held on Tuesday, March 26th at 10:00am at the Jewish Community of Amherst, with burial to follow at the JCA Cemetery. The family will be sitting shiva from 4-7pm on Wednesday, March 27th at the Mentin’s home. Donations can be made to the Jewish Community of Amherst.

Thomas Hazen died on March 13, 2019 at the age of 67. He is survived by his sister and her husband, Nancy and Paul Krawczynski, his daughter Melinda Hazen, her spouse Erik Bielanski, and their two daughters Viviana and Mirabel, his daughter Layla and her husband Chris, and many beloved nieces and nephews.

Tom was born in Northampton on February 13, 1952 to Edward and Barbara Hazen. He was the youngest of three, with two older sisters, Linda and Nancy. He graduated from Northampton High School in 1970, appreciated by his classmates for his athleticism and humor.

At the age of seven, Tom was diagnosed with juvenile diabetes. It was a diagnosis that would shape his life in profound and lasting ways. Tom and his family received diabetes education from the Joslin Diabetes Center, and became connected with Camp Joslin, in Oxford, MA – a summer camp exclusively for children with diabetes. Tom attended Camp Joslin and kept returning, year after year, first as a camper, and later as a counselor. He returned there in his memories, too, as an older man.

Tom grew up in the farming communities of the Pioneer Valley, instilling in him a deep love of the land and animals. He worked as a dairy farmer on his family’s farm, and on many farms in Western Massachusetts. Some of his fondest memories were of his Kentfield’s milk route.

Tom loved music and gardening. He was part old Yankee and part hopeful radical. One of his favorite quotes is attributed to Margaret Mead, “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has.”

Donations can be made in memory of Thomas Hazen, to Camp Joslin, care of the Barton Center for Diabetes Education, Inc. at PO Box 356, North Oxford, MA 01537-0356.

Sarah “Sally” Lawall, 84, died peacefully at home on March 21, 2019. The eldest daughter of Nancy Vincent Nesbit and John Nesbit, Sally was born in Newton, MA, and grew up in Wellesley Hills, MA. She attended Oberlin College, where she majored in French, studied piano at the conservatory, and met her husband-to-be, Gilbert, with whom she came to share 61 years of marriage. After graduation, she pursued a doctoral degree in Comparative Literature at Yale University under the direction of René Wellek, during which time she spent a year in Paris. She received her PhD from Yale in 1961.

The couple moved to Amherst, MA in 1965, where Sally became a distinguished professor of comparative literature and French at the University of Massachusetts. To scholars, Sally is best known for her essays on literary criticism and modern poetry. Professors across the country recognize Sally for her editing of The Norton Anthology of World Literature, a carefully curated collection widely used in universities, accompanied by comprehensive instructor’s guides to which Sally contributed. She published books and many articles on poetry and literary criticism, including Critics of Consciousness: The Existential Structures of Literature and Reading World Literature: Theory, History, Practice with essays by various authors. She served in posts in the American Comparative Literature Association, the Modern Language Association, and the Inter-national Society for the Comparative Study of Civilizations.

Possessed of a longstanding interest in different cultures, she traveled with family members to Canada and Mexico, throughout Europe, and to visit her son in Mali during his time in the Peace Corps. Throughout her life, she enjoyed vacationing with her family in New Hampshire, gardening, bird watching, berry picking, and swimming, and she was a strong advocate for conservation and wildlife preservation. Plants of all kinds thrived under her care, including summer vegetables and the extensive collection of houseplants that she maintained throughout the year. In Sally’s retirement, a trusty Yorkshire terrier was a devoted companion.

At home, she excelled at cooking and baking, skills that she passed on to her children. A prolific letter writer, she was admired for the time she invested in writing regularly to both older and younger generations in the family. She was a devotee of classical music, as well as a great fan of mysteries and science fiction. Her wry sense of humor startled the uninitiated, but became a trademark for those who knew her well. She will be especially remembered for her kindness and generosity.

Sally is survived by her loving husband Gilbert, her dearly beloved sons John and Peter, five grandchildren, four great grandchildren, her sister Kate Nesbit, and her niece Kim Marchwick. She was predeceased by her sister Judy.

The family will have a private memorial ceremony. Contributions in her memory may be made to the Dakin Humane Society, P.O. Box 6307, Springfield, MA 01101

Amherst – On Saturday, March 16, 2019, Bill Venman took the outstretched hand of his beloved wife, Sally, and left this life with a smile on his face, finally at peace. As he moves on to conduct his next celestial opera, he leaves behind a legacy of inspiration, unbounded creativity, wry humor and an “anything-can-get-done-with-duct-tape-and-ingenuity” attitude. He touched countless lives as a mentor, musician, committed curmudgeon, conductor, friend and fellow conspirator.

Bill was born on June 27th, 1931 to parents Erma and John Venman. He grew up in Bridgeport, CT and attended Oberlin Conservatory, studying French horn. He took a three-year break from college to enlist in the Army, where he served in Germany as a member of the 7th Army Symphony Orchestra, touring and performing throughout the country. On July 1, 1955, he married the love of his life, Sally (Sarah Katherine) Grant and moved to Muskegon, MI where he taught music. After earning his EdD at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor in 1962, he “temporarily” moved the family to Amherst for a job in the Provost’s office at UMass. Fifty-seven years later, and a career that spanned founding the Continuing Education Division at UMass to roles in educational technology and serving on the boards of the First Congregational Church, ACTV, and the Amherst Ballet, Bill stills calls Amherst home.

Practicing his belief that work should never get in the way of life, Bill cultivated his love of music. He performed with many local groups including the Pioneer Valley Symphony, Amherst Brass Band, and the Amherst Oompah Band, wielded the baton for the Amherst Community Band, encouraged his children to sing and learn multiple instruments, and celebrated winter solstice by directing music for Welcome Yule! But the pinnacle of his musical career began in 1975 when he and Sally founded the Valley Light Opera. The opera not only filled the community’s need for more patter songs and topsy-turvy plot lines, it became a second family to Bill and Sally and a source of great pride and never-ending tales.

Not to limit his enthusiasm to one avocation, Bill transformed the innocent gift of a Lionel train set into a passion that eventually took over half the basement. With a desire to spread the joy, he joined the Amherst Railway Society and helped start the annual Railroad Hobby Show at the Eastern States Exposition. He spent many hours gleefully building scale models and playing with (sorry, “operating”) trains with similarly-minded hobbyists and mesmerized grandchildren.

Bill’s passing leaves an endless fermata in the hearts of those who knew him. His final years were eased and supported by his caregiver and youngest daughter, Diana, who brought joy to his life and made enjoying the comforts of home possible. He was predeceased by his parents and his wife of 55 years, Sally. He is survived by his five children: Tom, of Brookline, MA and his wife, Kathy Harris; Susan, of Saxtons River, VT and her husband, Guy Payne; Peter and his wife, Alison Donta-Venman, of Hadley; Patty and her husband, John Devine, of Whately; and Diana and her partner, Dale Kotapish, of Amherst. Bill’s 14 grandchildren, in whom he took great delight, are Michael and Elizabeth, Tom and Kathy’s children; Claire, Juliana, Miriam, Ruth and Hannah, Sue’s children; Athena, Killian, Griffin, Aurora and Grant, Peter and Alison’s children; and Meghan and Caitlynn, Patty and John’s children. Also, his three brothers, Jim and his wife, Jan of Midland, MI; Pete and his wife, Carol of Mesa, AZ; and Bob of Middlebury, VT, along with many nieces and nephews and their children.

A celebration of Bill’s life will be held on Saturday, March 23 at 11 a.m. at the Wesley United Methodist Church, 98 North Maple Street in Hadley. Reverend Marianne MacCullah will be officiating. Friends may call from 5:00 until 8:00 p.m., Friday, March 22 at the Douglass Funeral Home in Amherst. In lieu of flowers, donations in Bill’s memory may be made to the Valley Light Opera, https://www.vlo.org.

Anna Rosa DeAngelis, originally of East Boston, passed away peacefully on Thursday afternoon, surrounded by her loving family. Anna was born in East Boston on November 6, 1928, to Rosa Adinolfi Schena and Anthony Schena. She was married to the late Salvatore DeAngelis. Anna and Salvatore raised their three children in Amherst. Anna will be remembered by friends and family for the tolerance, kindness and love she willingly bestowed on family members, neighbors and others with whom she crossed paths.
Those left to cherish her memory include her loving children, Mary, Patricia and Michael DeAngelis; her daughter in law, Rosa DeAngelis; her grandsons, James and Christopher; her brother Anthony and his wife Carol, her sister, Mary, and many nieces, nephews, cousins, neighbors and friends.
The family will hold a private memorial service for friends and family in Amherst later this spring. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the ASPCA. 

Mary A. Steigner, 88, died at The Arbors in Amherst on Sunday, March 17, 2019. Mary was born in Sandusky, Ohio, to Elmer and Elizabeth (Ramsay) Steigner on February 16, 1931, their only child. Soon thereafter, the Steigners moved to Silver Spring, Maryland, where both parents taught in the public schools, which Mary attended and then graduated from Hannah Moore Academy, and Goucher College with a degree in physiology and bacteriology. She worked in these fields at Johns Hopkins Hospital, Baltimore Bureau of Sewers, Baltimore Biological Lab, and the National Institutes of Health.
Mary then earned a Masters Degree in Experimental Psychology at Howard University – one of a handful of white students. She moved to western Massachusetts in 1962 and was a faithful member of Grace Church, Amherst from then on. She also joined The Society of The Companions of The Holy Cross. For more than fifty years, Mary volunteered every summer at Adelynrood, the Society’s retreat house. She earned a Masters Degree in Library Science at Simmons and worked in the Worcester and Springfield Public Libraries, and UMass Medical School Library.
In 1967, Mary spent several weeks in Florence, Italy, with librarians from around the world cleaning and repairing the thousands of books damaged in the November 1966 flood.
Mary earned a Doctorate in Library Administration from Simmons and was Librarian for ten years each at New England College of Optometry and Franklin Institute both in Boston.
Mary was a flotilla commander in the US Coast Guard Auxiliary. She enjoyed camping, hiking, rock climbing, scuba diving and reading. She spent seven months renting a moped camping in England and Wales.
A funeral for Mary will be held at Grace Church, Amherst, on Saturday, March 23 at 11 am, reception following.
In lieu of flowers, please make contributions to Grace Church, 14 Boltwood Ave, Amherst, MA 01002.

Kenneth Hall Langley, born 1935 in Fort Collins, Colorado, died at Hospice of the Fisher Home March 14. After a rural Eastern Washington upbringing, and two years at Washington State University, Pullman, he launched his study of physics in 1955 with his first journey east of Nebraska to attend MIT in Boston. There, at a Methodist social group, he met his future wife Joan Pannier. Graduation from MIT in 1958 was followed by a PhD from UC, Berkeley. Ken and Joan were married June 27, 1959. Daughter Christine arrived in 1964.
In the fall of 1966, Joan 8 months pregnant with son Mark, they camped across Canada in their new Corvair to Amherst, joining the growing physics department at UMass. This move led to a 36 year academic career, as well as deep and abiding friendships. He was proud to be part of numerous publications, a gentle mentor to students, and founding partner of Langley Ford Instruments.
After his first whitewater canoeing trip in 1983, he was hooked. He became an enthusiastic canoeist, kayaker and rafter with the UMass Outing Club, Appalachian Mountain Club, and beyond. His recorder and piano-playing spanned the centuries from the early Renaissance to classical, ragtime and traditional music. He offered quiet caring to his co-adventurers and musicians. Like his father before him, he brought dedication and attention to the details of equipment and organizations, including care for his beloved church, First Congregational, Amherst.
His memory will continue to be dearly held by his wife Joan, children Mark (Ellen), their children Sebastian and Josephine; Christine (Claudia); brother Duane (Carole), and sister Margaret (John) Simmons, as well as a host of friends, relatives, colleagues and community.
A celebration of his life will be held at First Congregational Church, Amherst April 6, 3pm. Musicians begin playing at 2:45.
Gifts can be made to Not Bread Alone (community meal program at First Church), or Hospice of the Fisher Home.

Charles Curtis Harvey died peacefully at age 99, surrounded by family, at Cooley Dickinson Hospital on March 10, 2019. He was born on February 15th, 1920, in Clinton, MA, the son of Charles Weston Harvey and Myrtle (Peters) Harvey. Charles had been residing at The Center for Extended Care in Amherst for 14 months, and previously had been living independently in Bolton, Massachusetts in the home in which he and his wife had raised their family since 1953.
Charles was a veteran of World War II, serving in the Army Air Corps. Hearing problems blocked him from active flight duty, so he served as a meteorology instructor, training pilots to read the weather in the years before weather radar or flight instrumentation. His interest in meteorology remained a lifelong passion that he shared with his family and many friends
Prior to his military service he attended the University of Toledo for one year, but returned home to Clinton, Mass. to support his mother after his father died of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis in 1939. It was at Toledo that he met fellow student and the love of his life, Leslie Marion Bemis. A yearbook from 1939 includes a picture of the Glee Club, with Charles in the back row focused not on the camera but on Leslie in the front. They were married in 1942, and Leslie, their infant daughter in tow, followed him around the country as he completed his military training and service. Charles and Leslie had been married for 70 years when she passed away in 2013 at the age of 92.
In addition to his wife, Charles was predeceased by his brother, Chester Hewitt Harvey, in 2017. He is survived and lovingly remembered by his daughter, Constance Wilkins, her husband, Adrian, and their son Peter, of Pelham; son Paul Harvey of West Roxbury, MA; son Bryan Harvey, his wife, Lynn Griesemer, and their son Sasha Harvey, of Amherst; grandson Allen Wilkins, wife Lisa Steele, and daughter Barbara Wilkins of Shrewsbury, MA; and niece Pamela Ballingham of Tucson, AZ.
Charles spent his entire professional career in the book manufacturing business, most of it at The Colonial Press in Clinton, Massachusetts, at the time one of the largest book printing plants in the world. Over the course of his career he rose through the organization, starting on the shop floor and eventually helping to lead the company through a difficult transition to digital typesetting and composition—in which it was a pioneer—during the 1970s and 1980s.
Although he had not been able to complete his formal education, he made sure that his children did. Charles was widely read and self-educated, and throughout his life demonstrated curiosity, deep thoughtfulness, and great wisdom. He was a person whose opinions were sought and cherished.
Charles was an enthusiastic bowler, golfer, and skier for many years. His passion, however, was tennis, which he played regularly until he started to slow down at age 90. He also gave generously to his community, serving as clerk of his church, town library trustee, and member of the board of assessors in Bolton. His blood type—O negative—made him a universal donor, and it was not uncommon for the phone to ring in the night asking him to come over to the hospital in the next town to help with some crisis. To his children, he (and their mother) made responsibility to the community seem the most natural thing in the world, and they have followed his wonderful example in many ways.
An interment and memorial service will be held in the Bolton area at a later date.

Martha Buskey “Ruby James”, age 95, passed away peacefully in her sleep on Thursday, March 15th at the Elaine Center, a senior care facility in Hadley, Massachusetts. Born in 1923 to Carrie Kennerly and Aaron Buskey, Martha grew up in a large extended family in Orangeburg, South Carolina. She was the middle child of three children, and enjoyed singing gospel in churches and on the radio weekly as a child.

Her faith in God and her lifelong passion for music and her mastery of the Bible and her astounding ability to recite any and every scripture remained an essential part to her nurturing character and followed her wherever she went. Leaving Orangeburg as a young adult, Martha began working as a housekeeper and eventually a cook. Her incredible culinary skills are remembered to this day.

Martha later relocated to Amherst, Massachusetts, where she quickly became a cherished figure within the town for her continuous spread of love and kindness to all around her. Martha had a particularly large impact in the community of the Village Park Apartments. Her beautiful garden became the catalyst of a vital change in policy that allowed residents to have gardens outside of their homes.She later founded a daycare program, and even today, many Village Park residents remember the time they spent in her care.

Martha Buskey was a daughter, sister, mother, grandmother, and great grandmother, who opened her heart to all, even those outside of the family. Her contagious laughter filled many rooms and brought smiles to countless faces, and she never stopped teaching the importance of love, caring for others, and faith. In death “Ms. Ruby” has arrived in the place she’d always wanted to be: alongside God.

Martha lives on in the hearts of her three children Fred Preston, Patricia Hardnett, and Eric James; six grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren.

A viewing will be held at Douglas Services in Amherst, today, Tuesday, March 19th from 4:00pm to 6:00pm and will be followed with a service from 6:00pm to 7:00pm.