Obituaries

Oct 18, 2020

Charles Benjamin "Chuck" O'Connor, 81, passed away peacefully on October 18, 2020, surrounded by his loving family. He leaves his beloved wife of 58 years, Jean Mortenson O'Connor, his three daughters, Karen O'Connor and James Ethier, Kristen and Greg Gake, and Kelly Brownlee, the Thomas Carroll family, and many dear friends, including his hiking buddies. One of the great...

Oct 7, 2020

Christopher L. Bail, 67, passed away on October 7 at Baystate Medical Center. Christopher, the son of Lorraine Bail and the late Oscar J. Bail, was born in Holyoke and lived most of his life in South Hadley. He was the fourth generation of a family-owned shoe store and for years worked alongside his father at O. Bail &...

Oct 6, 2020

CHICOPEE – Viola K. Mish, 95, passed away on Tuesday October 6 th at Mt. Saint Vincent. Viola was born in Holyoke, daughter of the late Frank and Katherine (Kulpa) Mish. She lived most of her life in Chicopee and had a deep love for those lucky enough to be called her family and friends. Viola graduated from South...

Sep 25, 2020

Carole A. Szatkowski

1945 – 2020

CHICOPEE – Carole Ann (Seabrease) Szatkowski, 75, passed away peacefully in the presence of her family on September 24, 2020.  Born in Maryland to the late Henry D. and Anna (Zola-Smith) Seabrease, she attended local schools.  In 1963 upon graduating High School, she was hired...

Sep 11, 2020

Feisty and independent-minded to the end, Joyce Blackmer Dubuc passed into eternity on Friday September 11, 2020, at the age of 98. A lifelong communicant of St. Patrick's Parish in South Hadley, where she raised 8 children with her husband, Arthur "Cook" Dubuc, Joyce became a Eucharistic Minister almost the minute that women were able to be in that...

Sep 5, 2020

Alice Mary Archambault, 89, was called safely home on Saturday, September 5, 2020.  She passed into eternal life at Heritage Woods Senior Living Center surrounded by her loving family.  Alice was born in Holyoke on February 25, 1931, a beloved daughter of the late Arthur and Lucinda (Dube) Mailloux.  She was raised in Easthampton and lived there for many...

Aug 20, 2020

Alexander Joseph Dumais unexpectedly passed away on the morning of August 20, 2020 at his childhood home in South Hadley, Massachusetts at the young age of 27. He was born on February 4, 1993 to Alan and Christine (Rougeau) Dumais as their second child to his sister Alycia (Dumais) Dehaas. Alex graduated from South Hadley High School in 2011...

Aug 3, 2020

South Hadley – Michael J. Sklarski, 65, died peacefully at home Monday morning .  Mike was born in Springfield and has lived in South Hadley most of his life.  He worked in construction and owned a Trucking Company. Mike " Beeper" was very active within the Melha Shrine and served on many committees over the years.   He enjoyed traveling,...

Aug 3, 2020

On Monday, August 3, 2020,  Marion Louise "Lou" (Winter) Hamilton, 88, died after a period of declining health.  Born in Derby, CT, the daughter of the late Henry and Anna (Voigtlander) Winter, she received her early education in the Ansonia, CT public schools, and was a graduate of Bates College with a degree in Mathematics.  Later she studied at...

Jul 3, 2020

Chicopee – Cecile D. Archambault, 90, passed away peacefully on Friday surrounded by her loving family at Mercy Medical Center. She was born in Holyoke, daughter of the late Raymond Desnoyer and Rose Martimbeault. She was a passionate cook, and was best known for her love of baking. She also enjoyed keno and trips to the casino. Cecile is...

Jul 2, 2020

Betty Jane (Brown) Giles, a former Pioneer Valley realtor, died at her home in South Hadley on Thursday, July 2.  She was 95. Born in West Springfield in 1925, Betty Jane's parents were Raymond T. Brown and Georgia L. (Rutherford) Brown.  Known as "BJ" to family and friends, she was educated at Northfield School for girls and Mount Holyoke...

Jun 20, 2020

Rose M. Champagne

1921 – 2020

South Hadley – Rose M. (Flaherty) Champagne, 98, died peacefully Saturday in a local nursing home.  Rose was born and raised in Chicopee and has lived in South Hadley most of her life.  Her husband of over 50 years, Andre Champagne died in 1993.  She leaves a daughter Nancy...

Jun 20, 2020

Ronald N. Sefton, 84, died peacefully Saturday evening June 20th in a local nursing home. Ron was born in Holyoke and has lived in Granby most of his life. He and his late wife spent the 18 years wintering in North Ft. Myers, FL. He served in the United States Navy and worked as a Product Development Specialist at...

Jun 16, 2020

Alan G. (Archie) Archambault, 64, died Sunday June 14 th at home. He was born in Holyoke and lived all his life in Chicopee. Alan graduated from Holyoke Catholic High School and Holyoke Community College. He worked for Providence Ministry for 38 years as a maintenance coordinator. Alan loved to travel to New Hampshire and Rhode Island. He leaves...

Jun 16, 2020

Our Lord delivered Frances Niedzielski into the world on May 8, 1926 to 31-year-old Joseph Niedzielski (d.1962) and his 27-year-old bride Sophia (Szetela) Niedzielski (d 1971). She joined her older sisters, 5-year-old Emilia (d.1967) and 2-year-old Mary (d. 2013) who would later bring into the Niedlzielski family her husband Donald Ball (d.1972). Frances would become a big sister to...

Jun 6, 2020

Helen M. Racine

1927 – 2020

South Hadley – Helen M. (Laperle) Racine, 92, died peacefully June 6th at a local nursing home.  Helen was born and raised in Holyoke, graduating from Holyoke High School.  In 1950 she moved with her husband, Donald H. Racine to South Hadley where they raised their six children.  Helen...

Jun 4, 2020

Wallace J. "Coach" Desautels, passed away on Thursday, June 4th at Baystate Hospital with his loving wife, Carol Desautels (Burnham) by his side. Wally was born in Turners Falls on August 16, 1942. His father, Wallace Desautels, was a local bar owner and businessman and his mother, Marian Desautels (Miskinis) was an artist. Wally was an athlete, and spent...

May 25, 2020

Jeanne Marie Teresa (Gregoire) Peloquin, passed away peacefully in her garden on May 25, 2020 in South Hadley, of natural causes.  Born June 24, 1940 in Holyoke, to Thomas Louis Gregoire and Irene Josephine (Chamberland) Gregoire. She was the 19th child of 20 children, and is predeceased by her siblings Diane, Yvonne, Alice,...

May 23, 2020

South Hadley – Arlene P. (Cleary) Wildman, 91, died Saturday May 23 rd in a local nursing home.  Arlene was born in Holyoke and lived her entire life in South Hadley. She was the daughter of the late John and Margaret (Blanchard) Cleary.  She was predeceased by her husband David Wildman in 1993 and was very proud of the...

May 18, 2020

James Patrick Curran passed away on Monday at Baystate Medical Center. After a long and arduous battle with life these 82 years, he finally is free from pain. The party in heaven must have been legendary.  Born to Irish immigrants, the late Patrick James Curran and Anna Moore, Jim grew up in working-class Holyoke. He would spend his childhood...