On Thursday evening, September 29, 2022, Betty-Ann passed peacefully with her family by her side in her home as she wanted.  Born in Chicopee Falls on July 26, 1931, she celebrated her 91 ^st birthday this past summer. Daughter to Ernest (Ernie) and Esther Perreault, Betty-Ann grew up on Gratton Street in Chicopee Falls to a loving French Irish Catholic family.  Though her mom, being of Irish decent, never let anyone forget how important the Irish culture was.  A communicant at St. Patrick's Church, the local Irish Catholic Church located close to her home, she received her early sacraments of Baptism, First Communion, and Confirmation there.  Graduating from Chicopee High School in 1949, she found work in the administrative offices at Chicopee Manufacturing Company.  Her office skills in typing and stenography quickly moved her to the executive administrative suite.

Betty's Catholic faith led her to believe she would devote her life to God by becoming a sister in one of the orders prevalent at the time.  But God had other plans for her.  Indoor roller skating was very popular at the time and every week St. Georges Church there would be open skating in their parish center.  It was here, at one of the open skating events she met her future husband, Al Desilets.  This slender, shy young man caught her eye and a friendship soon flourished.

Al and Betty were married on March 31, 1951.  St. Patrick's was planning a new church building on Broadway that year and their wedding was the first wedding christened in the new church.  Their first home was an apartment in a four-story walkup on Broadway, across the street from the local movie house.  Television was a new and expensive invention at the time with limited programming, so evenings were often spent at the movies across the street.

In the summer of 1949, Ernie purchased a tract of land on South Street in Granby, MA where he planned to construct a home he could retire to.  The land was large enough to be sub-divided for three homes.  His thought was he would construct a house for himself and Esther, and each of his two daughters could also build their home.  So, in the summer of 1951, Ernie and Esther moved into their new home and a lot was sub-divided for Al and Betty-Ann.  In the summer of 1954 Al and Betty-Ann moved into their new home with their new one year old son.

One of their goals in building a life together was to have children.  Somewhere along the line a decision was made to have seven but after the fifth child the goal was downsized to five and everyone was happy.

Betty always had a strong Catholic Christian faith which led her in raising her family.  She always expressed her faith in a positive and uplifting manner, with a happy smile gentle whisper.  She was a positive role model for everyone in her family as well as friends and acquaintances.

Betty is predeceased by her loving husband Al, her parents Ernie and Esther Perreault, a grandson Joe Gauthier, and one of her sons, Donald.  Betty leaves her loving family of David Desilets of Granby, MA, Diane & spouse Joe Gauthier, Sugarland TX, Deb and spouse Ed Moranski, Brattleboro, VT, Dan and spouse Angie Desilets, Belchertown, MA, 8 grandchildren and 8 great-grandchildren.

A wake is scheduled at the O'Brien Family Funeral Home, 33 Lamb St. South Hadley, MA between the hours of 4:00 pm to 7:00 pm on Tuesday, October 4 ^th .  The Funeral will begin on Wednesday, October 5 ^th at 9:00 am at the O'Brien Family Funeral Home.  A Catholic Funeral Mass will follow at 10:00 am at Immaculate Heart of Mary Church in Granby, MA.  Following the Funeral Mass, a Burial Rite of Committal will take place at St. Patrick's Cemetery, Fuller Road in Chicopee, MA. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in Betty's name to Immaculate Heart of Mary Church, 256 State St. Granby, MA 01033.