Belchertown, Beverly Louise Geoffrey, 78, of Belchertown died peacefully in her sleep on August 17, 2018 at Cooley Dickinson Hospital. Beverly was born in Amherst, November 30, 1939 to the late Raymond S. and Arlene {Struthers} Powers. She graduated from Amherst High School and worked for many years as a legal secretary at various firms in Northampton. She also worked as a sales clerk at Steigers, Lord and Taylor and J.C. Penney’s. She loved animals, especially cats and had many throughout her life. She enjoyed the beach, gardening, shopping, decorating for the holidays and being with friends and family. She was dearly loved by all her acquaintances. Beverly was predeceased by the love of her life, Jean Stroh. She is survived by her brother Raymond S. Powers of PA., and his children, Michael, Christine and Edwin. She is also survived by her son Mark Allen Geoffrey, of Amherst, her daughter Sherri and husband James White of Turners Falls and her grandchildren, Andrea, Aaron and Jaimee.

The family wishes to thank Beverly’s close friends who were always there for her.

In lieu of flowers donations may be made to Greenfield Savings Bank, care of, Sherri White for Beverly Geoffrey to help with burial expenses.

Graveside funeral services will be held Friday August 24, 2018, 10:00 AM at the North Amherst Cemetery, Amherst.

Linda Patton (Sigrist) McLean was born on August 20, 1937 in Franklin, New Jersey, the only child of Beatrice (Moran) Sigrist, an early career-woman, a mild, hilarious, and meticulous mother, and David Sigrist, a self-made man, the tabletop-tapdancing owner of a Mercedes-Benz-Packard dealership, the son of recent German immigrants. They called her Cindy from the beginning. She grew up in Verona, New Jersey on Mallard Lane just up the street from a small lake with boats and ducks. It was the idyllic beginning of what she admitted was a fairytale life.

As a child, there is a famous story of Cindy driving to Yankee Stadium with her father to deliver a new Packard to a baseball star of the day. Later, she attended Verona High School then Mount Holyoke College, majored in Religion, and after a foreign exchange in Switzerland, graduated in 1959, followed by a degree at Columbia Teachers College. While at Mount Holyoke she met Marsh McLean on a blind date. She married this shy future doctor and current baseball star in 1961. She supported him through medical school as a teacher to the sixth-grade children of Chapel Hill professors. It was said the dean of the medical school threatened to flunk Marsh if he went off to Chicago with Cindy as planned. The kids could not do without this wonderful creative teacher with the electrifying smile.

She strolled their four kids around Chicago as Picasso erected his famous steel Horse downtown, as riots raged that year. She got free tickets for Marsh not only to the Blackhawks in the Stanley Cup but to sit with the owners in the sky box. They were picked up in the limo. She’d met the daughter of Blackhawk owner while doing laundry, had been offered tickets, but had no idea who the woman was. When Marsh and a friend froze the courtyard of the downtown Chicago apartment building, she tied the skates. She saw him off to Vietnam and back safe.

They moved to a huge beautiful house on Moss Avenue in Peoria, Illinois in 1971 where they built a tennis court in the back, froze the front for skating, dug gardens, vegetables for him, roses for her. They stayed for 45 years. There Cindy was committed to all manner of creative, political, community activity. She ran Broadway Theater League that brought acclaimed plays to town. She was an early member of the NAACP and Urban League and she worked for Planned Parenthood and the Peoria Park District. She was a decades-long leader of the Moss-Bradley Historical Society, but worked city-wide to save important buildings from the demolition, such as The Peoria GAR Hall where Lincoln-Douglass debates were heard before the Civil War. She championed the successful application of the McLean Farm in Sedalia, North Carolina to National Register of Historic Places, the work of many years. She rose to be president of the Illinois State Medical Auxiliary. In later years she crusaded for environmental causes. She and Marsh supplied a Peoria Area Food Bank every Tuesday for decades, hauling canned good and baby formula up and down stairs well into her 70s. They slept monthly in a homeless shelter in the basement of the Westminster Presbyterian Church down the street. The list of her civic work goes on, but her greatest commitment was always to Marsh and their four daughters.

She died on August 15, 2018 in Amherst, Massachusetts where she had moved as a result of illness. She is survived by her beloved husband, John Marshall McLean, daughters, Betsy McLean Vielhaber of Middleway Scotland, Robin McLean of Ikes Canyon, Nevada, Debbie Mclean of Sunderland, Mass, and Kim McLean of Peoria, Illinois, six grandchildren, Marshall McLean O’Leary, Carlyn McLean O’Leary, Sophie McLean Converse, Kate McLean Converse, Leo Vielhaber and Ella Vielhaber, and one dear cousin, Betsy Barr of Upper Saddle River, NJ.

A Celebration of Life will be held at the Abbey Chapel at Mount Holyoke College on September 22, 2018 at noon. All are welcome to attend. All gifts should be directed to The Fisher Home of Amherst or The Alzheimer’s Association, or the Peoria Area Food Bank.

Leonard (Len) W. Lucien, Jr., 54 of Amherst passed away peacefully on August 17, 2018 after a short illness with his family by his side.

A resident of Amherst for the past 17 years, Len was born in Somerville and raised in Natick.

In his younger years Len played many sports including football, baseball, hockey and basketball.

He was a 1982 graduate of Natick High School; he continued his education graduating from Salem State University and Newbury College, majoring in business and accounting. Throughout his career he worked in various aspects of finance and operations, managing businesses of different sizes with an expertise in start ups and efficiencies. For 12 years, he worked in the transit industry where he met his wife Carolyn and established many close friendships.

Len was a lifelong supporter of the Red Sox, Patriots and Celtics. His love for sports brought him to his position of Chief Operating Officer at Sports Travel and Tours in Hatfield, MA, where he was able to incorporate his love of sports into his work life.

Len enjoyed vacationing on Cape Cod, New Hampshire, Boston, Florida, Saratoga and New York City with his family.

Len was very active with his church, St. Brigid’s in Amherst where he served on the Parish Council and was also a member of the Parish Finance Committee.

Len was the happiest when he was with his family. He adored his Wife and took great pleasure in his children. His family was the center of his life. Len enjoyed his weekends watching his Children’s sports/activities and coaching their baseball teams. A nice afternoon golfing with family and friends was another favorite pastime. He was extremely loyal and dedicated to his family and friends valuing and cherishing his time spent with them. Even in his final days, his wonderful sense of humor kept everyone smiling.

Len is survived by his beloved Wife, Carolyn; his children Johanna and Sean; his Mother, Lorraine Donahue; his Grandmother, Helen Tustin; his sisters Suzanne Lucien, and Lori Imparato and her Husband, John; his Mother-in-Law, Joan Hart; his Brothers-in-Law, Francis Hart and Daniel Hart and his Wife, Elaine; and many nieces and nephews that he cherished as well as cousins.

In lieu of flowers, kindly make a donation in Len’s name to St. Brigid’s Parish, 122 N Pleasant St, Amherst, MA 01004 attention Father John Smegal or to the Francis E. Hart Scholarship Fund, Bank of America 99 Founders Plaza, CT 2-547-05-19 Attn: Jean Harrison East Hartford, CT 06108.

Calling hours will be Wednesday, August 22nd from 4-7pm at the Douglass Funeral Service in Amherst. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Thursday, August 23rd at 10am at St. Brigid’s in Amherst, with burial to follow in St. Brigid’s Cemetery.

Amherst – Beverly L. Bielunis, 79, died on July 28, 2018 at Nassau University Medical Center, East Meadow, Long Island, NY.

Born in Amherst, MA on September 28, 1938, she was the daughter of Francis M and Evelyn L. Bielunis. She graduated from Amherst Regional High School and then attended Grace Downs Airline Career School, where she worked until they closed. She also worked for several banks in New York City and Long Island before her retirement.

After retiring, she moved to Hempstead Senior Housing, where she continued her passion of the “Big City” and traveling, which included trips to Europe, Canada, and other US states. Bev frequently visited Massachusetts for family gatherings.

Bev leaves behind her brother Edward and his wife Ingrid Bielunis, two nephews David and Michael and his wife Cheryl, and one great nephew Bruce, all of Hadley, her Uncle Adam and Aunt Connie Bielunis of Hatfield, and numerous cousins.

A calling hour will be held from 9:30-10:30am on Tuesday, August 21 at the Douglass Funeral Service in Amherst, followed by a service at 10:30am at the funeral home. A private burial will follow at the South Amherst Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Beverly’s name to the Hospice of Hampshire County.

Hadley, Robert “Bobby” W. Healy, passed away unexpectedly at home on Thursday August 9, 2018.

He is survived by his wife Laura, his daughter Lidia, his mother

Patricia Ocicki, his brother Steven Walas, and sister Mandy Ocicki. He was born

in Northampton October 18, 1974. Bobby attended Amherst Schools and lived in Hadley for most of his adult life and was a mason by trade. He will be missed dearly by his family and friends.

A Mass of Christian burial will be held Saturday August 18^th, 2018 at 10:00 AM at Most Holy Redeemer Church, Hadley. Burial will follow in Holy Rosary Cemetery.

A graveside service will be held Friday, August 10, at 1:30 pm at Saint Brigid’s Cemetery in Amherst.

Warren Averill was born in Taunton, Massachusetts in 1926 to George Warren and Astrid (Anderson) Averill. He graduated from Taunton High School in 1944, and received his B.S. degree from Brown University in 1948. He went on to the University of Massachusetts in Amherst, and received his M.S. (1950) and Ph.D. (1951) degrees, specializing in food science and analytical chemistry. He served as a corporal in the 5th Air Force in WWII in Japan during the occupation.

Warren and Martha Fellers of Amherst, MA were married in June of 1948, and raised four children, Stephen (1953), Anne (1954), Paul (1962) and Martha (1964). He is survived by 6 grandchildren and 2 great grandchildren. Warren and Martha lived in Florida, Massachusetts, and New Hampshire before settling in Weston, CT for 25 years, where he worked as a research chemist for Perkin-Elmer.

Warren was a fabulous and generous husband, father, grandfather and uncle. He had 36 years of wonderful retirement, and lived a long, full, life. He enjoyed his long retirement, often visiting the family home in Eastham where he beachcombed, clammed, fished, sailed, worked on masonry and all forms of general upkeep on the homes. He was able to travel to all over the United States including California, Hawaii, and the Smoky Mountains. Memorable family trips also were made to the Bahamas, Rome, Venice and Pompeii. He kept busy with his favorite pastimes of woodworking and gardening in Amherst.

Amherst, Robert A. Cooke, 88, passed away Wednesday, August 1, 2018 at Cooley Dickinson Hospital from congestive heart failure.

Robert was born July 14, 1930 in Amherst to the late Esther Williams and Howard Cooke. He was a US Army veteran of the Korean War, and went on to work in construction.

Robert was predeceased by his brothers Howard Jr., “Bill,” Albert (Sonny), and James and sisters Esther, Thalma, and Virginia.

He is survived by four brothers: Charles, Richard, George (Pete), and Roy, two sisters: Jean Martin and Mary Martin, and many nieces and nephews.

A graveside service with military honors will be held Wednesday, August 8, at 11am at Wildwood Cemetery in Amherst.

Theodore D. (“Ted”) Sargent was born in Peabody, Massachusetts in 1936, the second son of Theodore R. and Bessie (Whitman) Sargent. His mother died shortly after the birth of his twin sisters in 1937, and Ted was then raised by his father and stepmother, Helen (Rice) Sargent. Ted (known as “David” in his youth) showed early interests in nature and outdoor activities, and became an Eagle Scout in 1952. He graduated from Peabody High School in 1954, and received his B.S. degree in Zoology from the University of Massachusetts in Amherst in 1958. He then went on to the University of Wisconsin in Madison, and received his M.S. (1960) and Ph.D. (1963) degrees, specializing in animal behavior (under the direction of Dr. John T. Emlen, Jr.).

Dr. Sargent was hired as a lecturer in the Department of Zoology at the University of Massachusetts in 1963, and spent the next 38 years as a faculty member in that department. Ted and Katherine (“Kathy”) Doktor of Cushman, MA were married in 1966, and raised two children, David (1967) and Meryl (1970), while residing in Leverett, where they have lived since 1967. While teaching at the University of Massachusetts, Ted also conducted extensive research, focusing on predator-prey interactions, and especially the behavioral adaptations of cryptic moths preyed upon by birds. He published extensively in a wide variety of scientific journals, and directed the research efforts of many graduate students. His 1976 book, Legion of Night: The Underwing Moths (University of Massachusetts Press), led to his active participation in the international Lepidopterists’ Society. He served as editor of that society’s Journal for many years, and was elected President in 1980.

Ted always managed to integrate a variety of outside interests into his academic career. He dabbled in antiques and collectibles throughout his life, and even ran a retail store, “Metamorphosis,” in Chatham, MA on Cape Cod, for several summers in the 1980’s. Later he became a dealer in postcards, specializing in local (western MA) scenic cards. He also worked for many years at the Whately Antiquarian Book Center in North Hatfield. Ever appreciating the rare and unusual, he could frequently be found at local auctions, flea markets and antique shops. His special collecting interests included natural history books (especially on butterflies and moths), New England poetry, fine rock and mineral specimens (especially the rarer agate varieties), and old New England glass (Sandwich, Stoddard, etc.).

In addition to these collecting interests, Ted also loved old-time country and bluegrass music. He learned to play the dobro when he was a young professor, and even managed to play that instrument in a local band, “Mountain Rose,” for a few years. He could also play the autoharp and Appalachian dulcimer, though he sometimes joked, “Who couldn’t?” Always, however, the out-of-doors appealed most strongly to him, and he loved to hike the local area, most often with Kathy, his wife of over 50 years. He was especially interested in local birds, though plants, and especially mushrooms, attracted his attention in more recent years. In addition to these many and varied interests, Ted also managed to write a little poetry, and composed a number of folk and country songs.

After his retirement from the University of Massachusetts, Ted developed some new scholarly interests in local history, and this eventually resulted in a biography of Elaine Goodale Eastman (1863-1953) (University of Nebraska Press, 2005). Elaine Goodale had been a famous child poet in the Berkshires of western MA, who went on to marry a Sioux Native American, and then lived a long and interesting life – mostly in Amherst and Northampton. Ted’s last published paper was also devoted to aspects of the marriage of Elaine and Charles (“Ohiyesa”) Eastman (South Dakota History, 2010).

A memorial service will be held at a later date.

Barbara T. (Ostrowski) Perchak, 87, passed away peacefully on August 1, 2018 at Linda Manor, in Leeds, with her family by her side. Barbara was born July 21, 1931 in North Amherst, the oldest daughter of Peter and Mary Jakimko Ostrowski.

She was raised on her family’s dairy farm along with her ten siblings. She attended Cushman Elementary School, was a graduate of Amherst Regional High School and attended Fannie Farmer Cooking School in Boston.

On September 7, 1953, Barbara married the dance partner of her life, Peter L. Perchak, Jr. of Sunderland, at St. Brigid’s Church in Amherst. They built a house on farmland her parents gave them as a wedding present where they raised their four sons, and where she lived until the time of her death.

Barbara loved tag sales and the joy of finding a treasure, gardening and yard work and was known throughout North Amherst for keeping an immaculate lawn. She loved picnics, sharing meals with her family, eating ice cream and traditional Polish food. She enjoyed travelling to Vermont and boating on Maidstone Lake; selling tomatoes in the summer and keeping up with the neighborhood news with customers. She loved Polka music, which she referred to as “happy music,” and listened to local Polka musicians on the radio.

She leaves behind her four sons; Martin, of Bend, OR; Jeffrey and wife Ann, of Amherst; Peter and wife Elaine, of Greenfield, and Paul, with whom she lived with, in Amherst. She also leaves behind her beloved granddaughters, Katelyn Perchak and Jenna Perchak, both of Amherst. She is survived by her youngest sister, Joanne Ostrowski, of Ashfield and brother Peter, of Westfield and many nieces and nephews.

Barbara was predeceased by her loving husband, Peter, in 1992, her mother and father, brothers Jerome, Charles, John, James, Carl and Edward; and sisters Patricia Murawski and MaryAnn Chudzik

Calling hours for Barbara will be Sunday, August 5th at the Douglass Funeral Service, 87 N. Pleasant Street in Amherst, between 2-5PM. A private burial will take place at North Amherst Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, donations in Barbara’s name can be made to the charity of your choice.

Hadley, Erin Summerlin was delivered to the gates of heaven on July 26, 2018 in the arms of her Aunt Beth Bachand and the love of her life, Shawn Cournoyer.

Erin leaves her beloved son Kyle Costa and her mother Ann Bronner, both of Hadley. She is survived by her sister Lori Zumbruski and her family of Granby and her dad Laird Summerlin of So. Carolina. She was predeceased by her father, Norman Bronner of Belchertown.

She will be sadly missed by many aunts, uncles, cousins and extended family.

Erin had several careers including real estate and the travel industry. Her passion was selflessly loving and caring for many including the neediest amongst us. The family is comforted to know she will continue her work in her celestial home.

A celebration of Erin’s life will be held at the convenience of the family