Holyoke, Zoë Rosenthal, 52, died on November 29th as a result of injuries sustained when struck by a car in Holyoke while walking her dog.

Zoë was born in Boston; her early life was in Cambridge. After several moves, she spent her high school years in New York City and remained in the city where her two daughters were born. After moving to the Valley as a single mom, Zoë graduated from Holyoke Community College and received a Bachelor’s degree and a Masters in Education at the University of Massachusetts. Starting in the Amherst school system, she went on to become an elementary classroom teacher in Holyoke. 

As an imaginative and creative teacher she felt constrained by the focus on testing, but found her place in adult education. She taught English as a Second Language and thrived at HCC’s Literacy Project. Zoë projected active compassion for the disadvantaged and oppressed. Her commitment to anti-bias and social justice was met in her work at Capacidad, a child-care organization that matched her values. With Umoja Too she went to Japan with a dance troupe where her daughters performed.

Zoë made friends easily – in the Valley, in New York, the city she loved, from Alaska to Puerto Rico. She touched many lives. She was always willing to help others and share what she had. Her interest were many and included photography and glass blowing. Zoë reveled in Latino culture, food, music and salsa dance. She was dismayed by the meager hurricane relief efforts in Puerto Rico.

There were turbulent times in Zoë’s life. The last couple of years were positive. She was evolving professionally. She was committed to an upcoming Holyoke, had just bought a row-house and delighted in the prospect of fixing it to her liking as a home of her own – to be shared with others when need arose.

She is survived by her daughters, Chelsea E. Castillo and Tiffany M. Castillo, her granddaughter, Luna May Platt, all of the New York City metro; her parents, Virginia “Jinny” Rosenthal of Amherst, Jon Rosenthal and his wife Bernice of Damariscotta, Maine; her brother, Alexander and his family of Belfast, Maine; her former husband, Raymond Castillo of Mount Vernon, NY; a multitude of friends, and her little dog, Chester.

Should anyone wish to commemorate Zoë’s life, you should know that her focus was on hurricane relief for Puerto Rico and Capacidad in Amherst. A celebration of Zoë’s life is scheduled at the Waterfront Tavern, 920 Main Street, Holyoke, MA on Saturday, December 9 from 2 to 6 pm.