Amherst, Jeanne Adams was born May 5^th, 1935 in Quincy, Massachusetts to Richard F. & Myrtle M. Purnell.   Jeanne spent most of her childhood growing up in Amherst, Massachusetts.  She graduated from Amherst High School in 1953 and participated as a majorette, which she really enjoyed.    Soon after high school graduation, she attended nursing school in Westfield, Massachusetts where she completed her LPN degree and then moved to Alexandria, Virginia where she earned her degree as a registered nurse.  Upon completion of nursing school, Jeanne moved to Minneapolis, Minnesota and joined Northwest Orient Airlines as a stewardess.  She later married William (Bill) Saxon who was a pilot with Northwest Orient Airlines.   Bill and Jeanne had 4 sons (William, Robert, Thomas, and Mark).  Jeanne left her position at Northwest Orient Airlines to raise her children and pursue her nursing career.  After leaving the Airline Jeanne moved her family to a farm in Deerwood Minnesota and in 1972 Jeanne moved her sons to Garfield, Minnesota where she raised her children and continued her nursing career.  After her sons had all grown and gone their way in life, Jeanne would spend her winters working as a nurse in Florida and California as she loved spending her free time enjoying the sun and beach.  Jeanne moved to Riverside, California in October of 2015 where she spent the remainder of her days relaxing on her patio and enjoying the California sunshine with best friend and companion dog Anna until she passed away peacefully in her sleep.  Jeanne was known for her sense of humor, and was never at a loss for a witty comment or funny story.    She loved animals (especially her dogs and cats) and would spend countless hours watching the deer and birds outside her window on her farm in Minnesota. Jeanne took great pride in her careers, her children and grandchildren and great grandchildren and remained fiercely dedicated to all of them throughout the years. Jeanne held a special place in her heart and a deep love for all the friends, young and old that she had made throughout her years in the many places she lived. Her heart was never far from her New England roots and she would often speak fondly of childhood memories from there. Later in life she developed a deep relationship with God and would routinely end each phone call with please “give my love to everyone” and “you’re in my prayers”  Jeanne is survived by her 4 sons; William S. Saxon Jr. (Kaye), Wasilla Alaska, Robert L. Saxon, Seward Alaska, Thomas R. Saxon (Elaine), Phoenix Arizona., Mark W. Saxon, Irvine California, brother Richard (Dana) Purnell, Ware Massachusetts, sister Debbie Gillard (Steve), Sebec Maine, grandchildren Erin, Josh, Amy, Ariel, Bailey, Michael, Ariana, Mary, Alyssa, Amber and Evan as well as 6 great grandchildren and nieces and nephews.

Funeral services will be Thursday September 28, 2017 at 10:00 at the Douglass Funeral Service, Amherst, with burial following in Pelham Valley Cemetery.

Newburyport, MA – Karen Jeanne Anderson, 70, of Newburyport, MA passed away on September 19, 2017, after a long illness.  She is survived by her sister Kathy Anderson (Tim Bitney), St. Paul MN; brother Gregg Anderson (Audrey Smith) of Amherst, MA; and brother Jim Anderson (Retsey) of Eagan MN; and her 5 cherished nephews, Carl, Paul, Chris, Ben, and Matt.  

Karen was a 1964 graduate of Our Lady of Peace High School in St. Paul, MN and received a Bachelor’s Degree from the University of Minnesota in 1969.  After living her formative years in St. Paul, she moved to Massachusetts where she truly found her home. She was a successful business owner, and served as a board member of the YWCA of Newburyport MA where she was presented with the 2007 YWCA Volunteer Service Award.

A memorial service will be held at a later date in Minnesota.

In lieu of flowers, memorials in Karen’s name may be made to Dorcus Clothing Ministry, 1 Osgood Place, Amesbury, MA 01913 or Hospice of the Fisher Home, 1165 North Pleasant Street, Amherst MA 01002.

Rhode Island, James A. “Hank” Hankinson passed away at home unexpectedly September 18, 2017. He was a 24 year veteran, retiring as Mastersergeant of the United States Air Force.

He is survived by his wife of 49 years, Nancy (Jenks) Hankinson, daughters Jody A. Hankinson, Kerry L. Mirto and husband Frank, and son Scott N. Hankinson and his wife Jody and 4 grandchildren. He is also survived by his 5 siblings, Judy, Denzel, Dick, Nancy, and Tom and 10 nieces and nephews.

Hank graduated from Amherst Regional High School in 1967 and immediately joined the United States Air Force. He was proud of his 24 years of service to his country and enjoyed the people and places he was able to experience. He went on to establish a career working in the cable industry for 16 years, retiring in 2010. Hank spent his remaining time enjoying family and the camaraderie of his military retiree group ARCC.

In lieu of flowers, donations in his memory may be made to any veterans group of your choosing or to ARCC c/o Jim Bell, 168 Ridge Rd., Smithfield, RI 02917.

Calling hours in Rhode Island will be Friday, September 22, 2017 from 4-7pm at the Winfield & Son’s Funeral Home, 571 West Greenville Rd., Scituate, RI. Calling hours in Massachusetts will take place Monday, September 25, 2017 from 6-8pm at the Douglass Funeral Service in Amherst. Burial will be private.

Amherst, Janet Mary (Crozier) O’Rourke, 82, of Pelham, Massachusetts passed away on Monday, September 18, 2017 surrounded by her three loving daughters.

She was born on April 29, 1935 in Shawinigan Falls, Quebec, Canada to (the late) Robert Nelson Crozier and Carmen (Code) Crozier.  In 1940, the Crozier family moved to Springfield, Massachusetts, where Janet attended Classical High School, graduating in 1952.  She then attended Mount Holyoke College and graduated in 1956 with a B.S. in Biology.

While at Mount Holyoke, Janet met (the late) John Francis O’Rourke of Holyoke, Massachusetts.  They were married on June 18, 1957, at Wesley Methodist Church, in Springfield, Massachusetts.   Janet and John lived in New Haven, CT before settling in Amherst in 1962.  Janet worked as a lab assistant for several years at both Amherst College and the University of Massachusetts.  Upon John’s passing in 1974, Janet went back to school and earned a Masters of Public Health from the University of Massachusetts.   Janet then spent the rest of her career working at Mount Holyoke College as the Director of Laboratory Instruction for the Program in Biochemistry and retired in 1998.

Janet’s life was rich with many pastimes and interests.  She loved classical music and played the cello in many ensembles, including the Pioneer Valley Symphony, the orchestra of the Valley Light Opera and a string quartet comprised of dear friends that met every week.  Janet was also an avid traveler and she enjoyed trips with her friends to Canada, Europe, Africa and Asia.  She was an active member of her Mount Holyoke alumnae class, serving in various roles and committees and she always looked forward to her class reunions. Over the years, Janet had many animals and especially loved her dogs to whom she devoted many hours of training in obedience, tracking and agility classes.   She coopted her dogs in her many volunteer pursuits taking them to visit nursing homes and to the elementary schools in Holyoke where the children would practice reading to the poodles.

Janet is survived by her children Kathleen Armstrong and her husband Edward Armstrong, of the Plains, Virginia, Ann O’Rourke and her husband Camille Batarekh, of Wayland, Massachusetts, and Frances MacPhail of Turners Falls, Massachusetts; her three grandchildren Ian, John and Marc, of whom she was extremely proud; her brother, Robert E. Crozier of New York, NY; her nephews, Robert and Hugh Crozier; and, of course, her beloved poodles Archie and Grace.

Funeral Services will be Saturday September 23, 2017 at 10:00 AM at the Grace Episcopal Church, in Amherst. Burial will follow in Pratt Corner Rd. Cemetery, Shutesbury with a reception following at the Lord Jeffrey Inn, Amherst.

In lieu of flowers, her family suggests donations in Janet’s name to The Hospice Of The Fisher Home, www.fisherhome.org.

Amherst – Mary Ellen (Backels) Carlson, 80, of Amherst, passed away Saturday September 16, 2017, at her home surrounded by her loving family, following a long illness.

            She was born on All Saints Day, November 1, 1936, in Crosby, MN to the late Victor Adolph and Thelma Caroline (Johnson) Backels. She was the oldest of four siblings: Allen, John and Karen Backels. She moved with her family to Iron River, MI and Canton, NY, finally settling in Waterbury, VT at the age of 10.

            Mary graduated from Waterbury High School in 1954, where she was class valedictorian with a promising future. She graduated with honors from Upsala College in East Orange, NJ, in 1958.  She met her husband, David, at Upsala, and they were married on August 23, 1958 at the First Congregational Church in Waterbury, VT.

            Mary and David lived in East Orange, NJ and moved to Lindsborg, KS, finally settling in Amherst in 1964. Mary’s career was solidly rooted in the Amherst community, first as Circulation Manager at the Amherst Record, and then as an Application Specialist in the Amherst College Office of Admission, where she worked for 27 years until her retirement in 2005.

            Mary’s true vocation was as a servant leader in the Lutheran church. She was a life-long Lutheran and was a member of Immanuel Lutheran Church in Amherst since 1964, where she held several positions of leadership.  She was a member of the Council’s Executive Committee, serving two separate terms as Council President and one as Treasurer.  As Council President, she led Immanuel through a significant time of transition as the congregation searched for a new pastor.  Her final and most lasting contribution to leadership at Immanuel was as leader of the Worship Ministry Team, a position she held until her passing.  She led the team through a vibrant period of change and growth, implementing new ways of worship, advocating for the needs of those with disabilities, and extending a warm welcome to all.  In addition to her contributions at the local level, Mary served the New England Synod as Chair of the Synod’s Commission on Women during the time when women were first being ordained as rostered ministers in the Lutheran Church.

            Mary always said that music was her language.  An accomplished musician, Mary was a naturally gifted singer, and also played trumpet, organ and piano.  Her love of choral music led her to sing alto with the choir of Immanuel Lutheran Church, the Hampshire Choral Society, and the Pioneer Valley Symphony Chorus.  In addition to her choral contributions, she served as alto soloist at Immanuel and also played the role of wife in Immanuel’s production of Benjamin Britten’s Noye’s Fludde.  As one of Immanuel’s first choir directors, she carefully chose the music to enhance worship and celebrate her love of God through song. 

Mary took great pride in her family, partnering with her husband David to teach her children to be strong and independent contributors to society.   Mary was also proud of her Swedish heritage, celebrating many Swedish traditions, including the St. Lucia Fest, and hosting traditional Christmas Eve dinners. Mary loved to plan parties, both for her family and her church, and excelled at making every holiday and birthday special. She wrote a poem for everyone on their birthday from the family dog, Eddie.

Mary is survived by her husband of 59 years, David Russell Carlson, and her 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, all who were the light of her life; her brother, John Backels and his wife Marsha, of Salt Lake City, UT, and sister, Karen (Backels) and her husband Paul Carpenedo, of Erie, PA; many nieces and nephews, and her dog, Eddie. She was predeceased by her parents, Victor and Thelma Backels, and a brother, Allen Backels.

During her long illness, Mary was lovingly cared for at home by the palliative and hospice teams of the Cooley Dickinson VNA and Hospice, her family doctor, family, close friends, her Pastor and members of the Immanuel Lutheran Church Healing Ministry team, and private caregivers.

            Calling hours will be held on Thursday September 21st from 5 – 8 PM at the Douglass Funeral Service, Amherst.  The funeral service will be held on Friday September 22 at 10:00 AM 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, 567 N. Pleasant St, Amherst, MA 01002. “Those who wish to sing always find a song.” – Swedish Proverb

Lifelong Amherst resident, Charles E. Abramson, passed peacefully at his home on September 17, 2017.  Born in Northampton, MA on November 20, 1927 to the late Emil and Charlotte (Ericksson) Abramson.  Charlie devoted his life to family, community service, and the development of youth through education and athletic participation.  He possessed a generosity of spirit; quiet, unassuming nature; dedication to community and strong faith that guided his personal and professional endeavors.  Upon graduation from Amherst High School in 1945 Charlie proudly served in the United States Navy.  His service took him throughout the South Pacific.  Charlie graduated from Springfield College in 1953 and later received a Master of Education Degree from UMass Amherst.   He began his teaching career at The Horace Mann School in New York City. He then taught physical education at Goffstown High School in Goffstown, New Hampshire before returning to Amherst where he worked for 33 years in the Amherst School System.  During that time Charlie served as physical education instructor, department chair, varsity baseball coach, varsity football coach, and Athletic Director. He was the first AD in the Amherst School System. Among his proudest accomplishments as Athletic Director was the expansion of sports programs for girls and the creation of Alternative Learning Programs to allow students to fulfill their physical education requirement in a non-traditional manner. While Charlie’s teams realized outstanding winning percentages; he emphasized sportsmanship and respect over victories.   He was always considered the ultimate gentleman among coaching peers, game officials, family and friends and truly led by example.  Charlie spent numerous summers working for the Amherst Recreation Department coaching youth baseball and teaching tennis. This was in keeping with his valuing mentorship and providing a positive role model to young people in Amherst.  Never one to seek the spotlight, Charlie nonetheless received numerous awards and recognition for his accomplishments including: Athletic Director of the year multiple times; induction into the Massachusetts Baseball Coaches Association Hall of Fame; High School Baseball Umpires Association Sportsmanship Award, induction into the first class of the Amherst Regional High School Athletic High School Hall of Fame, and the Robert Frost teaching chair. Charlie’s love of baseball led him to become a lifelong St. Cardinals fan as well as an area scout for the Montreal Expos, Kansas City Athletics, and Seattle Pilots organizations.  In addition to his parents Charlie was pre-deceased by his beloved wife of 54 years, Mary (Garvey) Abramson, a sister Doris Abramson, and a son Robert James who died at birth.  Charlie will be dearly missed by his children Catherine Canales and partner Francis Twardowski of Savoy; son Charles G. Abramson of Sunderland; son Michael Abramson and wife Valerie of Deerfield; grandchildren Erik Abramson of Worcester and Kelsey Abramson of Deerfield. He is also survived by brother-in-law Robert Garvey and wife Jane of Charlestown, MA; sister-in-law Helen Cadigan of Holyoke as well as several nieces and nephews. The family wishes to thank the staff and caregivers of Collective Home Care and Cooley Dickinson VNA and Hospice for their assistance. The family also wishes to express their sincere gratitude to Dr. Paul Baecher for the extraordinary compassionate, care he provided Charlie. In lieu of flowers donations in Charlie’s memory can be made to the Jimmy Fund or Cooley Dickinson VNA and Hospice 168 Industrial Dr. Northampton, MA 01060. Calling hours will be Wednesday September 20, 2017 from 4 – 7 pm at the Douglass Funeral Service, Amherst. A  Mass of Christian burial will be Thursday the 21^st at 11:30 am at St. Brigid’s Church, Amherst with burial following in St. Brigid’s Cemetery, Hadley. 

Amherst, William Hanks, 87, died the 5th of September 2017 at his home in Amherst surrounded by family after a 2 year battle with cancer. He is survived by his loving wife Lynn Noonan Hanks of 67 years, Son Rick Hanks of Amherst, MA, daughters Susan Lynch of Holyoke, MA, Cheryl Rhodes of Shutesbury, MA, Helen Hanks of Amherst, MA, 11 grandchildren, 8 great grandchildren, numerous nieces and nephews, and German Shepherd Shamus.

Bill was a lifelong resident of Amherst. He was born in Cushman on June 2nd 1930 to Harold and Mildred (Tibbetts) Hanks. As a young man he attended Amherst Public School while also working in his Father’s store, Hanks Store, on Main ST. He joined the Navy and spent 1948 and 1949 on the aircraft carrier Franklin Deleno Roosevelt. After the Navy he attended Northampton Commercial College for business and worked at Umass. In 1950 while working at Umass he started his own business, Amherst Maintenance, which upon his retirement was passed on to his son Rick and son-in-law Lester. An avid outdoorsman Bill loved to hunt and fish all over New England. In his retirement he enjoyed working in his rose and perennial gardens, family get-togethers by his pool, and his extensive collection of clocks.

Bill was predeceased by his parents Harold and Mildred and sister Madeline (Hanks) Bosi. Services will be held at the Douglass Funeral Service Saturday September 16th. Visiting hours will be 9:30am-10:30am with a Mass of Christian Burial at 11:00am at St. Brigid’s Catholic Church.

The family would like to thank Dr. Andrew Hall and staff, Dr. Holly Michaelson, and Cooley Dickinson Hospice for their compassion and care over the years. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Dakin Animal Shelter or St. Brigid’s Catholic Church.

Amherst, William Hanks, 87, died the 5th of September 2017 at his home in Amherst surrounded by family after a 2 year battle with cancer. He is survived by his loving wife Lynn Noonan Hanks of 67 years, Son Rick Hanks of Amherst, MA, daughters Susan Lynch of Holyoke, MA, Cheryl Rhodes of Shutesbury, MA, Helen Hanks of Amherst, MA, 11 grandchildren, 8 great grandchildren, numerous nieces and nephews, and German Shepherd Shamus.

Bill was a lifelong resident of Amherst. He was born in Cushman on June 2nd 1930 to Harold and Mildred (Tibbetts) Hanks. As a young man he attended Amherst Public School while also working in his Father’s store, Hanks Store, on Main ST. He joined the Navy and spent 1948 and 1949 on the aircraft carrier Franklin Deleno Roosevelt. After the Navy he attended Northampton Commercial College for business and worked at Umass. In 1950 while working at Umass he started his own business, Amherst Maintenance, which upon his retirement was passed on to his son Rick and son-in-law Lester. An avid outdoorsman Bill loved to hunt and fish all over New England. In his retirement he enjoyed working in his rose and perennial gardens, family get-togethers by his pool, and his extensive collection of clocks.

Bill was predeceased by his parents Harold and Mildred and sister Madeline (Hanks) Bosi. Services will be held at the Douglass Funeral Service Saturday September 16th. Visiting hours will be 9:30am-10:30am with a Mass of Christian Burial at 11:00am at St. Brigid’s Catholic Church.

The family would like to thank Dr. Andrew Hall and staff, Dr. Holly Michaelson, and Cooley Dickinson Hospice for their compassion and care over the years. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Dakin Animal Shelter or St. Brigid’s Catholic Church.

Amherst, William Hanks, 87, died the 6th of September 2017 at his home in Amherst surrounded by family after a 2 year battle with cancer. He is survived by his loving wife Lynn Noonan Hanks of 67 years, Son Rick Hanks of Amherst, MA, daughters Susan Lynch of Holyoke, MA, Cheryl Rhodes of Shutesbury, MA, Helen Hanks of Amherst, MA, 11 grandchildren, 8 great grandchildren, numerous nieces and nephews, and German Shepherd Shamus.

Bill was a lifelong resident of Amherst. He was born in Cushman on June 2nd 1930 to Harold and Mildred (Tibbetts) Hanks. As a young man he attended Amherst Public School while also working in his Father’s store, Hanks Store, on Main ST. He joined the Navy and spent 1948 and 1949 on the aircraft carrier Franklin Deleno Roosevelt. After the Navy he attended Northampton Commercial College for business and worked at Umass. In 1950 while working at Umass he started his own business, Amherst Maintenance, which upon his retirement was passed on to his son Rick and son-in-law Lester. An avid outdoorsman Bill loved to hunt and fish all over New England. In his retirement he enjoyed working in his rose and perennial gardens, family get-togethers by his pool, and his extensive collection of clocks.

Bill was predeceased by his parents Harold and Mildred and sister Madeline (Hanks) Bosi. Services will be held at the Douglass Funeral Service Saturday September 16th. Visiting hours will be 9:30am-10:30am with a Mass of Christian Burial at 11:00am at St. Brigid’s Catholic Church.

The family would like to thank Dr. Andrew Hall and staff, Dr. Holly Michaelson, and Cooley Dickinson Hospice for their compassion and care over the years. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Dakin Animal Shelter or St. Brigid’s Catholic Church.

Nancy leaves a son, Frederick G. Ruder III of Colorado, twin daughters Janice Dietrich of Mississippi, and Anne Maxson Puffer of Amherst, five grandchildren, and 8 great grandchildren. She was predeceased by her husband, Frederick G. Ruder, Jr. in 1985 and her brother, John Baybutt in 2004.