Hadley, Shirley Mentin, 93, passed away on May 11, 2016 peacefully in her sleep.  She was born to Lena and Nathan Ecker in Newark, New Jersey on February 4, 1923.  They moved to the Bronx, in New York City when she was 6 years old.  She graduated from Morris High School and went on to Hunter College.

She met the love of her life, David Mentin when they both were employed in a greeting card store. She then worked for the Department of Labor in New York City as a statistician.

They wed in 1944 when Dave was on furlough from the army.  They raised their two children, Howard and Nina in Bayside, Queens, New York.  Shirley worked as a bookkeeper for King Karol Records in New York City for 30 years.  She was an active volunteer in the Mended Hearts Organization in Nassau County, New York.  They moved To Amherst, Massachusetts in October 2000 to be close to their children and grandchildren.  While in Amherst, they both did volunteer work for Big Brothers Big Sisters of Hampshire County.  Her beloved Dave passed away in 2002 after 59 years of wedded bliss.

Shirley will be missed by all who knew her and a special thanks to the extraordinary care she received at Genesis Sunbridge of Hadley.

Shirley is survived by her son Howard and wife Ellen Mentin.  Daughter and husband – Nina Mentin and Steven Palatt. Her four grandchildren- Jesse Hofrichter, Emily and husband Dwayne Mentin Chamble, Isaac and wife Kristen Palatt, Brooke and her husband Ruwan Karunanande.  Shirley also leaves behind her 3 precious great grandchildren, Zion, Nolan and Rosie.  Shirley is survived by her sister Florence Spotkov and several nieces and nephews.

AMHERST – Robert “Bob” Wellman, 83, died peacefully at his home on May 8, 2016 with his family by his side.

 Born January 18, 1933 in Lima, Ohio, he was the son of the late Howard and Mary (Ireland) Wellman.  He grew up in Lima and Brooklyn, Ohio with his beloved grandmother Grace always by his side.  He graduated valedictorian from Brooklyn High School and received a scholarship to Dartmouth College where he began his great adventure.

At Dartmouth Bob’s goal was to be a zookeeper and in 1954, he earned a bachelor’s degree in Zoology.  Drafted into the Army during the Korean War he developed his lifelong passion for philosophy and learning reading Plato, Aristotle, Socrates and Dewey.  This inspired him to pursue an alternative road. He went to London, earned a Master’s Degree in Science Teaching, History of Science at the University of London and fell in love with England.  He also fell in love with his beloved wife Avril.  Returning to the USA with baby on board he became serious about a career and earned his Ph.D. in “Philosophy of Education and History of Science” from Ohio State University in 1962.  Shortly thereafter he became a professor at the University of Massachusetts and brought his young family to Amherst. 

During his tenure at UMass, Bob held numerous academic and administrative positions including University Ombudsman, Professor and Director of Educational Philosophy, Secretary of the Faculty Senate, where he wrote the Wellman Document defining University governance, and Director of the Adult and Higher Educational Leadership Program.  He was a visiting professor at the Universities of Washington, Illinois and Wisconsin, and most notably he received a Fulbright to the University of Tehran, Iran where he fell in love with the culture and made many dear lifelong friends. 

Bob retired Professor Emeritus from UMass in 1994, but he was far from done.  He turned his energies and passion for teaching and learning towards K-12 education and worked tirelessly with many teachers in Chicopee and other schools in Western Massachusetts through Framingham State College. 

Bob was a staple in the Amherst Community serving as a town meeting member, a Rao’s coffee regular and the whistler at Atkins.  Sunday mornings won’t be the same for his dear friends. 

Bob is survived by the love of his life Avril, daughter Beth and her husband Mark, son Alex and wife Jen, and the pride of his life, his three grandchildren, Michelle, Sam and Vic.

A memorial Service celebrating his life will be held 3:00pm, Sunday, July 10, at the South Congregational Church in South Amherst.

In lieu of flowers, donations made be made in Bob’s name to a charity of your choice.

Northampton, Dr. Harry Oldham Brooks passed away peacefully on Saturday May 7^th, 2016 at Care One Nursing Center in Northampton, MA. His daughters and daughter-in-law were at his side. He was 82 years old.

He is survived by his daughters, Jerusha Brooks and Samantha Brooks, his daughter-in-law, Aimee Ballard and his granddaughter, Ashley Smith, who all reside in Southwest Virginia. His beloved wife, Paulette Henderson Brooks, passed away in 2014.

Dr. Brooks was born in Camden, NJ in 1933. He received his PhD in Educational Policy, Research, and Administration from the University of Massachusetts and his M.S. and B.S in Electrical Engineering from the University of Vermont. He served as an Amherst Town Meeting representative for 22 years, a Select Board member for the town of Amherst for one term and was a long time member of Sugarloaf Mountain Athletic Club, serving as president for several years. He served on numerous other boards and committees during his residencies in both Amherst, MA and Burlington, VT.

He was an avid runner and completed dozens of marathons across the country including Boston, New York, San Francisco and Houston. He was an Officiant for USA Track and Field and Western Massachusetts Track and Field and served as Vice President for USA Track and Field- New England. He was a local torch bearer for the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta.

His Town Meeting colleagues are planning a memorial service for Dr. Brooks during the Memorial Day weekend. His daughters are planning a celebration of life ceremony which will take place later this summer. More details on both events will be released in the future.

Amherst, Marietta R. Iantosca, 105, of Amherst, MA passed away peacefully, Sunday May 8, 2016 at the Center for Extended Care at Amherst.

She was the loving and devoted wife of the late Angelo Iantosca, who passed away in 1989 after 51 years of marriage. She will be truly missed by her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren, whom she was fondly known to as “Mama Mae.”

Born March 6, 1911 in Manhattan, NY to Anthony and Rose {Guadagno} Lovetere, she was the sixth of nine children. When she was eight years old she moved to East Boston, MA where she resided until her marriage. She then moved to Amherst where she was a resident for the past 66 years.

She is survived by her daughters Barbara Cooney and her husband Richard of Kensington, CT and Frances Iantosca of Amherst and her three grandsons and their wives, Mark and Lisa Cooney of Northford, CT., Michael and Gina Cooney of Shrewsbury, MA., and Kyle and Tracy Cooney of Kensington, CT. She is also survived by her seven great-grandchildren, Lauren, Andrew, Griffin, Kasey, Emily, Jenna and Aiden, her sister V. Grayce Driscoll of CT., and sister- in-law Helen Iantosca of MA., and several nieces and nephews.

She was predeceased by her four brothers, Anthony, Angelo, Dominic and John and her three sisters, Rose, Josephine and Mary. She was also predeceased by her great-granddaughter Lynsey Rose Cooney.

She was a recipient of the Golden Cane from the town of Amherst when she was 103 years old.

A special thanks to Dr. Andrew Hall, Fr. John Smegal at St. Brigid’s Church, the care givers at the Center for Extended Care at Amherst and her many special friends.

Calling hour will be Thursday May 12, 2016 from 9:30 -10:30 at the Douglass Funeral Service, Amherst, with a Mass of Christian burial at 11:00 am at St. Brigid’s Church, Amherst. Burial will follow in St. Brigid’s Cemetery, Hadley.

Pelham, Michaeline P. Yezierski, 69 passed away, April 29, 2016 at her home in Pelham. 

Michaeline was born in Northampton, MA on March 17, 1947, the daughter of Claire (Reed) Yezierski and the late Jerome (Herman) Yezierski. 

She graduated from Hopkins Academy in 1964, graduated from the Cooley Dickinson School of Radiology.  She worked in her field along with other careers including working for multiple departments at the University of Massachusetts.  She retired from the University in 2001. 

Michaeline was an avid crafter, gardener and loved to read.  She enjoyed spending time with her many nieces and nephews.  Michaeline could be found watching birds and enjoying the outdoors. 

She was predeceased by her father Jerome (Herman) Yezierski and brother-in-law Steven Waskiewicz.  She leaves her brother Jerome R. Yezierski his wife, Donna Yezierski, sister Maureen Waskiewicz, sister Joanne Thornton her husband, Paul Thornton.  She also leaves her serval nieces and nephews along with grandnieces and nephews. 

Funeral services will be 10:00 AM Friday, May 6, 2016 at the Douglass Funeral Service, Amherst. A calling hour will precede the service from 9:00 -10:00 AM. Burial will follow in North Hadley cemetery.    

Donations may made to Dakin Humane Society, PO Box 6307, Springfield, MA 01101 in her memory or any other charity of your choice.

Amherst, Helen Hien Armentano, 94, passed away peacefully on Wednesday, April 20, 2016 at the Center for Extended Care in Amherst, Massachusetts. She was born in Munich, Germany on August 2, 1921 to Xavier and Maria (Kugler) Hien and emigrated to Brooklyn, New York in 1947, where she married Vincent Armentano, raised three children, and worked as a professional seamstress. She moved to Massachusetts to live with her daughter, Marie, and granddaughter , Katherine, in 1999.  She lived an active life, and loved to share her knitting, sewing, food, and vibrant personality with family and friends. She was a loving mother and grandmother and her memory will be cherished. 

She is survived by her brother Ludwig Hien (Leni) of Munich, Germany; her daughter Dr. Marie Armentano of Amherst, MA; her daughter Dolores Armentano Grobe (Matthew) of Northport, NY; her son Dr. Louis Armentano (Sue) of Oregon, WI, as well as four grandchildren, Allison Grobe (Aaron Steffensmeier) of New York, NY, Carolyn Grobe Ingram (Stuart) of East Northport, NY, Vincent Armentano (Lucy) of Hamden, CT, and Katherine Armentano of Amherst, MA. She was preceded in death by her husband Vincent, sister Josephine, and brother Ernst.   

The family would like to extend gratitude to the staff of Center for Extended Care at Amherst for the care they bestowed upon Helen in her last years.  Friends and relatives will be received at the Douglass Funeral Home at 87 North Pleasant Street in Amherst on Saturday afternoon, April 30, from 2-4 PM.  

Nashua, N.H., Alfred X. Powers, passed away at St. Joseph’s Hospital in Nashua, NH on March 24, 2016

Born and raised in Brockton, MA., he attended Brocton High where he excelled in track and swimming. He received many medals in both sports.

He enlisted in the U.S. Navy during WWII where he served in the Philippines.

After the war he attended Fitchburg State College achieving a Master’s of Education degree.

He first worked at the University of Massachusetts, and then taught for the Springfield, MA school system for nearly 30 years before his retirement.

He was an excellent golfer and was a member of the Amherst Golf Club as long as his health would permit.

During winter months he belonged to bowling leagues in both Springfield and Northampton.

After his retirement, he officiated track meets at local schools.

He was a life member of the VFW and former member of the Chicopee Elks.

He was pre-deceased by his wife of 55 years, Vesta C. Powers. He is survived by a loving and grateful family and will be fondly remembered by all who knew him.

All funeral services are private.

Pelham, H. Gilmore “Gil” Rinard passed away at the age of 75 on Thursday, March 31, 2016 in his Pelham, Massachusetts home surrounded by family. Gil was born on May 28, 1940 to Paul and Kathrine Rinard of Newark, Delaware. He graduated from the University of Delaware and went on to study psychiatric nursing at Yale University.  He worked at several local hospitals over the years, including the VA, Brattleboro Retreat and Springfield Municipal Hospital.

In his free time, he was a devoted craftsman and woodworker. His furniture, musical instruments, and lampshades grace many homes, and his generosity in sharing his talents will live on. In addition, Gil had a tremendous love of music and art, which he shared with all who knew him. He was an avid reader, a scholar of languages, and had a thirst for knowledge and understanding of other cultures. He will be remembered for both his whimsical sense of humor and his sound and wise advice.

He will be deeply missed by his family and friends, including his wife of 47 years, Ruth, along with three children; John Rinard (Melanie Lanier) and their children Ali and Drew; Kate Rinard (John Coronella) and their children Charlie, Julia and Natalie; Millie (Seth) Webster and their sons Ben, Will and Eli. He delighted in his grandchildren, who will remember him best for his animal noises, funny faces and fascination with insects. 

Gil’s funeral will take place at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Amherst on Sunday, April 17, 2016 at 1pm with Reverend Steven Wilco officiating. In lieu of flowers, please reach out to someone you care about and let them know how much they mean to you. This is the day that we have been given; let us rejoice and be glad in it.

Paul Franklin Ross passed away April 1, 2016 at the Soldier’s Home in Holyoke, MA just a few hours shy of his 90^th birthday.   Paul made his home in Johnstown, Pennsylvania for more than 30 years and most recently in South Hadley, MA where he and his wife, Jean, moved to be closer to their daughters.  Paul was born in Bradenville, Pennsylvania on April 2, 1926. At age 18, Paul joined the Army Air Corps where he was stationed in Europe as an aerial photographer taking reconnaissance photographs.  After his 1951 graduation from Ohio State University with a degree in ceramic engineering, Paul joined the Bethlehem Steel management training program.  He was initially assigned to the Research Department in Bethlehem, PA and in 1955 was transferred to the Blast Furnace Department in Johnstown, where he spent most of his career as a Superintendent.  Paul and his loving wife of 66 years, Jean Marie (Houck) Ross, loved their summer home in Stone Harbor, New Jersey and when Paul and Jean retired in the mid-80’s they split their time between homes in Stone Harbor and Whispering Pines, NC.  Paul was an avid golfer and fisherman, he had a green thumb and took pride in his vegetable gardens and he loved feeding the birds and creating bird woodcarvings. He was an engineer at heart and there was nothing he couldn’t “fix”.  He loved being a husband and dad but spending time with his grandchildren gave him exceptional joy, particularly taking them fishing.  Paul is survived by his wife Jean Marie (Houck) Ross, Loomis Village, South Hadley, MA, his daughter Deborah Whitford and her husband Dan of South Hadley, MA, his son Daniel Ross and wife Diane of Bethlehem, PA, his daughter Donna Ross and husband Peter Straley of Amherst, MA, seven grandchildren and one great-grandchild. A private family remembrance is planned. In lieu of flowers please send donations to Loomis Village, South Hadley, MA.

Amherst, Mary Alma Scarcliff (Mary Boudreau), formerly of 700 Franklin Street, Belchertown, MA, died on March 26, 2016 at Hospice of the Fisher Home in Amherst of complications from ALS.  She was the daughter of the late William Frederick and Mildred (Kersh) Scarcliff of Jackson, Mississippi. Mary was born at Baptist Hospital in Jackson in February of 1937. But it was coming to Amherst Massachusetts in 1957 that she first felt at home. But Massachusetts wasn’t her first love. 

In September of 1953, Mary, then 16, spied a handsome new teacher on the first day of school in her Junior year. Stopping to find out his name and what he taught, she proceeded to the guidance counselor’s office and asked to be moved into Mr. Boudreau’s sixth period English class. “Why, Mary Alma?” was the obvious question. “Because I’m going to marry that man!” was Mary’s response. Perhaps more surprising was the counselor’s reply: “More power to ya.” And schedules forever more were changed. 

Mary relished telling the stories of how she “stalked” that teacher. What few listeners could imagine was how she also managed to get accepted – having only finished her third year of high school – to the University of Wisconsin, Madison so that she could be in college where Hal was moving on to graduate school. That sheer, relentless determination was one of her defining characteristics.

Exceptionally bright and equally diligent, Mary earned her Bachelor’s degree along with two Master’s and her Ph.D. — but never a high school diploma.  More importantly, in 1955 she did marry that man.

Hal took a faculty position at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst, where they moved in 1957. In the 1960s Mary taught Spanish at the Mary A. Burnham School for Girls, and later at Smith College.  

Mary’s determination also came to bear in her desire to have a child. Following a string of difficult pregnancies that would have deterred most, Hal and Mary welcomed their only child, Timothy Douglas Boudreau, in 1968. The counseling she received during that time piqued her interest in clinical psychology, and in the 1970s she returned to school at UMass to get her Ph.D. in psychology.  In addition to her academic and professional pursuits, Mary was a skilled painter, poet, house designer (blueprints and all), founder of a local Montessori school, and even a passable carpenter.

Following an amicable divorce in 1980, she built a career practicing and teaching psychology, first at Baystate in Springfield, followed by the Devereaux Institute in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. In 1985 she took a job teaching and developing the adolescent treatment program at UMass Medical School in Worcester, MA, where she would spend the remainder of her career, retiring in 2001.

In 2002, she bought a house in Belchertown, MA to be nearer to Hal and to Amherst, and spent her time on friends, family, reading a novel a day, and socializing a feral cat that she rescued and was resolved to domesticate. In 2015 she moved into assisted living at The Arbors at Amherst.

She died surrounded by family and friends, who read her the letters she wrote to Hal that summer of 1954 before they wed. She is survived by her former husband, Harold L. Boudreau, of Belchertown, MA; son Timothy D. Boudreau of Shutesbury, MA, his wife Christy, and grandson Jack Finnegan Boudreau, born last summer, whom she delighted in during her final months; her oldest friend Carol Broun Wansong of Washington, D.C.; her eldest friend Marilyn Greenfield of Medfield, MA; and closest friends Lisa McCune LeDuc and Steven McDonald of Belchertown, MA and Kurt Barbuscio of South Kingston, RI.