Ahearn Funeral Home

11/17/2025

Blake Joseph Gorey

Blake Joseph Gorey, 41, was born on October 16, 1984, the sixth generation of his family to reside in Deerfield. He unexpectedly passed away at home with his children by his side on Friday, November 14, 2025.

Blake grew up in South Deerfield and spent his life building strong ties throughout the Valley. He attended Deerfield Elementary School and Frontier Regional School before graduating from Franklin County Technical School. From an early age he was happiest around trucks, tools and anything with an engine. He carried that passion into adulthood, launching a successful fabrication and structural steel and ironworks business. For 17 years he was the founder and owner of B. Gorey Fabrication, headquartered in South Deerfield. What began as a steel fabrication shop grew under Blake’s leadership to support many area businesses. Known for his skill, craftsmanship, reliability, tireless work ethic and straightforward nature, Blake earned the respect of tradesmen and workers across the region.

Blake was a devoted father, and nothing meant more to him than his children, Benjamin and Bridget, whom he shared with his wife, Kara (Jagodzinski) Gorey. He loved teaching them practical skills, passing on his deep knowledge of machinery, tools, and how things work. Whether fixing, building, or operating equipment, Blake approached every task with confidence and hands-on expertise.

He enjoyed riding his motorcycle, snowmobiling, and skiing in his younger years. He also built a custom rock-climbing car and traveled throughout New England with friends to compete and talk shop about the machine he had crafted. Blake was rarely without his constant canine companion, Ozzie, who remained faithfully at his side.

Blake is survived by Kara, and their children Benjamin and Bridget; his father Joseph Gorey and his partner Roseann Goldsmith; his twin sisters Kelly Shaw and her husband Virgil, and their daughter Madison of Stowe, VT; and Melissa Fahey and her husband Tyler, and their children Wynne and Wyatt of Ipswich, MA. He is also survived by his father-in-law and mother-in-law, Paul and Kathy Jagodzinski of Hatfield, along with many aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews, cousins, and numerous close friends throughout the Valley.

He was predeceased by his twin brother, Luke (April 17, 2021), and his mother, Holly Tozloski (February 2, 2021).

Blake will be remembered for his strong work ethic, his practical skill, his loyalty, and his dedication to his family and community.

Calling hours will be held on Friday, November 21, 2025, from 9:00 to 11:00 A.M. at Ahearn Funeral Home, 783 Bridge Road, Northampton, followed by a brief service with Deacon Mark Kolasinski and burial at 12 Noon at Brookside Cemetery in South Deerfield. (Please carpool to the funeral home to ease parking.)

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11/17/2025

Nancy E. Smith

On November 13th, Alzheimer’s Disease ended the life journey of Nancy Evelyn Smith. Two weeks earlier she celebrated her 60th Anniversary with her husband, Steve, her sons, residents, and staff gathering in the memory unit of the Arbors at Amherst where she had received such wonderful care for just over 3 years. Wearing a new red dress so thoughtfully provided by a young caregiver, she also wore her usual full smile as she enjoyed some cake and, most of all, the company of others. The following day she transitioned to Hospice of the Fisher Home where she ended her journey in their gentle, thoughtful care.

Nancy was born in Manchester CT on August 8, 1944. Her parents, Herbert E. Johnson and Selma (Sorola) Johnson raised a bright, optimistic, cheerful, adventuresome girl. They taught her the importance of family and community, values she lived throughout her life. In 1963 she met her future husband at a summer job in Hartford. Two years later she married the lucky guy on a week’s notice and quick planning on Halloween Eve. Their honeymoon consisted of an overnight stay at a motor inn on the way back to her college in Western New York in order to finish her Senior student teaching requirement, followed by a night on a dairy farm as guests of her teaching supervisor and farmer spouse. After witnessing a late-night calf birth and eating a hearty farm-to-table breakfast, Steve headed back to Boston to finish his first semester of law school and ready their apartment while Nancy remained in New York to finish student teaching. They were young, broke, very much in love, and couldn’t wait any longer to get married. As one unexpected consequence of doing so, Nancy would spend the next few years completing her degree in Boston due to the unbending rules of her college that were intended to discourage such rash, youthful life decisions.

After she and Steve graduated in 1968, Steve ‘avoided’ the draft and bought time to take the bar exam by enlisting for officer training in the Army. After basic training, Nancy moved with Steve and their two cats to Alexandria VA so that she would be nearby as he attended Officer training. On the day he reported for training and a six month separation from Nancy, she returned to her newly leased apartment with $5.00 in her wallet and enough gas to get to one more job interview. She got the job, supported Steve and his platoon with contraband night-time mega food runs, designed and sewed their company parade flag, and when Steve earned his commission and got his orders, shared his relief that he wasn’t sent to Vietnam.

In 1970, while Steve was stationed in Baltimore and they lived nearby, their first son, Ben, was born. Three years later, with military service over and living in Pittsfield MA, their family was completed with the arrival of Adam.

There is an early photo that is emblematic of Nancy’s personality and maternal dexterity. It pictures Nancy and her boys, then 4 and 1. Ben is seated on his tricycle, sporting his toy motor cycle googles and helmet. Nancy is crouched with her arms around him as though seated behind, and Adam in a backpack is bringing up the rear. All are looking at the camera and smiling. In this manner her sons were raised in Pittsfield with large doses of love, lots of pets, and much outdoor adventure. Nancy supported her family in practical ways as well, spending hours in their modest basement doing paid piecework sewing while watching and caring for her brood, as Steve worked to become active in their community and grow his law practice. When the boys got older, she returned to school to become a dental hygienist, a profession she mastered and worked at for almost thirty years. Her patients – over as many as 3 generations – loved her for her gentle yet thorough touch and her recall of their family’s names and life events.

After 25 years in Pittsfield, Nancy and Steve moved to Worthington, where they lived for 30 years, until advancing Alzheimer’s and Covid isolation made rural life untenable. While there, Nancy returned to sewing, this time for fun. She made many, many quilts, including personalized, magical folk art quilts for each of their five grandchildren and a Baltimore Album family quilt that will hopefully serve to connect her family for generations. She also continued her love for gardening, long dog walks, and Yoga which she relied upon daily for maintaining her strength and peace of mind. She connected with her community through the Worthington Gardeners, as a town election worker and, as age and dementia were slowly added to the mix, with Chair Yoga at Town Hall.

Nancy is survived by her husband, her sons, Benjamin Smith and his wife Anna Rudnicki, of Southborough, MA, and Adam Smith of Hatfield, MA. She is also survived by her granddaughters: twins Josie and Lizzie Smith of Southborough; and her grandsons: Noah (Shrewsbury MA), Elliot, and Oliver Smith, both of Hatfield. She is also survived by her sister, Carol Zaglio (Peter) of Eastham MA and her brother, Robert E. Johnson (Carole) of Lexington VA., together with their children. She is also survived by her aunt, Phyllis Galambos (nee Johnson) of La Jolla CA and her uncle, Milton Johnson, of Oldsmar FL.

Nancy will be remembered at a memorial service at the Worthington Congregational Church on Saturday, December 6th at 11 a.m. Reception to follow at the Goldenrod Inn. In lieu of flowers contributions to the Hospice of the Fisher Home, 1160 N. Pleasant St., Amherst MA 01002 are encouraged.

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11/15/2025

Getting Florence festive with Kasey Warren, Holly Richards, Kurt Brazeau, Brian O'Connor, Glenn Gilbert, Steve and Nina, Mark and Josie Vaclavicek, the Tacy Girls... 🎅 🎄

11/14/2025

Alice Toohey

View Alice Toohey's obituary, send flowers, find service dates, and sign the guestbook.

11/13/2025

View Roger Alvah Graves's obituary, send flowers, find service dates, and sign the guestbook.

11/13/2025

View Wanda Rup Helstowski's obituary, send flowers, find service dates, and sign the guestbook.

11/13/2025

Wanda Rup Helstowski

WHATELY - Wanda Helstowski, 102, of Whately, passed away peacefully on November 4, 2025, with her family by her side. Born in North Hadley to Andrzej and Katarzyna (Pekala) Rup, she was the sixth of eleven children. Wanda fondly recalled her early childhood in North Hadley prior to the family’s move to Whately in 1937, where she spent the remainder of her long and remarkable life.

Wanda attended both Hadley and Whately schools and was a graduate of Northampton High School (Class of 1941) and Northampton Commercial College. After college, she began her working career during World War II as Supervisor of the War Bond Department at the Springfield Ordnance District.

On July 30, 1945, she married the love of her life, Stanley W. Helstowski. Together, they built a life at Riverside Farms in Whately. Amid rows of crops, they raised seven children. Wanda was the heart of the homestead—caring for her growing family, helping in the fields, balancing ledgers, sewing, cooking, and baking, all while binding her family together with maternal strength and grace. After retiring from farming, she and Stanley managed a successful real estate business for many years until his passing in 1992.

Wanda was also active in the Whately community, serving for many years on the Whately School Committee and as Town Accountant. She was also a devoted member of the former St. Stanislaus Parish and the St. Anne’s Sodality.

Her love for family was unwavering. She was caring yet firm, forgiving yet demanding—her guidance not loud, but lived. Holidays at home were never just dates on a calendar—they were memorable gatherings filled with anticipation, preparation, family traditions, Polish cuisine, and signature dishes beloved by her grandchildren.

Wanda was predeceased by her beloved husband, Stanley, and by her daughters Andrea Roth, Valerie Cullen, and Sandra Helstowski. She now joins them in eternal rest, along with her sisters Anne Richmond, Genevieve Yagodzinski, Antoinette Adamski, and Edna Bartos, and her brothers Joseph, Andrew, Roman, John, and James Rup.

Her legacy lives on through her children: Dianne Wolejko of Southern Pines, NC; Stanley Helstowski (Constance) of Lunenburg; Kenneth Helstowski (Joanne) of Shrewsbury; and Kevin Helstowski (Amy) of South Deerfield. She is also survived by numerous grandchildren and great-grandchildren, and her sister Ramona Nieskoski.

Visitation hours will be held on Saturday, November 15, from 8:30 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. at the Ahearn Funeral Home, 783 Bridge Road, Northampton. A Mass of Christian Burial will follow at 10:30 a.m. at Holy Family Church in South Deerfield, followed by interment at St. Stanislaus B&M Cemetery.

The family sends special thanks to the entire Forest View staff at Linda Manor in Leeds for their wonderful care and for making her final year truly enjoyable.

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11/13/2025

Michael D. Stevens

Michael Donne Stevens, 87 passed away peacefully on Saturday, November 8, 2025, with his loving wife, Daphne at his side. Michael was born in Chicago, Illinois to Elinor Stevens and Carlton Stevens II who raised him. He grew up in Rye New York and Branford. CT. After attending Wooster School in CT., he attended Lake Forest College in Illinois. He graduated from Boston University in Boston. Michael was employed by First National Bank of Boston and later Old Sturbridge Village (a history museum living in Sturbridge), where he was head of the Herb garden. Gardening remained a joy for the rest of his life. On September 9, 1967, he married Daphne Thurlow who he met at Forest Lake College. They met when she turned to look at him and he turned to see who she was looking at. They recently celebrated 58 years of marriage. They moved to the Lathrop Community in Northampton ten years ago. Mike’s calling was art, which remained a great joy throughout his life. His homes were filled with paintings. He had many exhibits at the Lathrop Community and many other venues throughout his life. Mike will be remembered as a lovingly sweet man and will be missed by all those he touched and shared his life and art with. There are no calling hours. At Mike’s request, a green burial service was observed at Wildwood Cemetery, Amherst. Donations in his memory in appreciation of Mike’s love of cooking for and feeding people may be made to the Survival Center of Northampton, 265 Prospect St, Northampton, MA 01060.

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11/13/2025

Roger Alvah Graves

WILLIAMSBURG - Roger Alvah Graves, 89, of Williamsburg, died peacefully on November 11, 2025 at Linda Manor Extended Care Facility in Leeds.

Roger was born September 23, 1936 in Northampton and was the son of the late Joseph Edwin and Nettie Flora (Shumway) Graves. He was educated in Williamsburg schools and Smith Vocational High School in Northampton, graduating in 1956. He was employed by the Joseph C. Dickinson Dairy Farm in Leeds for several years and then by Smith College from 1966 to 1991, retiring as foreman of the Lyman Plant House.

Roger was a lifelong member of the First Congregational Church of Williamsburg where he served on the Mission Committee for many years as well as numerous other committees. He was also a member of the Williamsburg Historical Society and a member of the Friends of the Meekins Library in Williamsburg. Roger was a trustee of Camp Anderson (now known as Pine Brook Camp & Conference Center) and served as president numerous times.

Roger liked to keep busy. He enjoyed nature and loved being outdoors. Over the years he did maple sugaring, grew Christmas trees, cut cord wood, and hayed his fields. Roger was an avid collector of old flat irons. Those that knew Roger may fondly recall his sense of humor, which remained intact right up through his last days.

Roger was predeceased by his beloved wife, Ann Josephine (Sullivan) Graves in 2018, after 61 years of marriage and by his brother Joseph Edwin Graves, Jr. in 1942.

Roger is survived by his sister, Mary (Graves) Doyle of Westhampton, a nephew, Raymond Doyle and his wife Joan of Windham, CT, his nieces, Kathleen Carter of Dayton, Ohio and Anna Loven and her husband David of Westhampton, several great-nieces and his cousins, Elizabeth (Hill) Leno of South Deerfield and Eugene Hill of Colfax, NC.

The family would like to thank the staff at Cooley Dickinson Hospital, Mass General Brigham (Williamsburg), Armbrook Village in Westfield and Linda Manor Extended Care Facility in Leeds for providing great care and compassion to Roger.

The family invites you to join them on Saturday, November 22, 2025 at AHEARN FUNERAL HOME, 783 Bridge Rd., Northampton for services for Roger at 11:30 A.M. with Pastor Jack Cooper, Officiant. Burial will follow in Village Hill Cemetery, Williamsburg.

Donations in Roger's memory may be made to the First Congregational Church of Williamsburg, Pine Brook Camp & Conference center in Shutesbury or the Activities Department at Linda Manor Extended Care Facility in Leeds.

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11/11/2025

Veterans Day , remembering our heroes .. Ahearn Funeral home and Chris Powers... parade, prepping meal's for the Veterans Administration and great people 🇺🇸

11/11/2025

Please join us in Florence at 10:45 a.m. as we honor our Veterans.. Parade starts promptly at 11:00 a.m. Casey Fowler, who served in the U.S. Navy for four years during the early 1990s and is now a nurse practitioner at Cooley Dickinson Hospital, will be the keynote speaker at Tuesday's Veterans Day Parade in Florence.

We thank you ALL for your service... 🇺🇸

11/07/2025

Albert E. Thouin

Albert Eugene “Curly” Thouin, 92, passed away November 2, 2025, at Cooley Dickinson Hospital, surrounded by his loving family.

Born October 21, 1933, in Northampton, Mass., Albert was the son of Arthur Salem Thouin and Ruth Adeline Pope. He grew up on Ferry Street in Easthampton, and he loved to fish, hunt, and work on cars.

In 1953, Albert was drafted into the army during the Korean war. He was never deployed to Korea but was moved around to different military bases in the U.S. and received classified training in a variety of fields, including nuclear munitions. He was also deployed to Europe and France for additional classified military exercises. Albert was honorably discharged in 1956 and returned home to Easthampton.

In Easthampton, Albert became a lifelong member of the Carpenters Union Local #108 and Millwrights Union Local #1121, unions to which his father also belonged. He was proud of the work he accomplished throughout his long career, including bridgework and the Rowe, Vermont Yankee, and Seabrook power plants.

Albert had a childlike joy for all things in his life. He loved his family, animals, and the forest surrounding his mountain home. He was always willing to help a friend or loved one. Never idle, Albert always had a project going on in his retirement, whether it was building pie safes, creating wooden bowls on his lathe, or working on his fairly recent creations, wooden flowers. Whatever he created, he would give away to family, friends, and even strangers. When he wasn't creating, he worked on his bulldozer or other equipment around his house.

Albert was predeceased by his parents; his former wife, Jean (Barnett) Thouin; his son, Robert S. Thouin; and a brother, Fred Thouin. He leaves behind his loving wife of 21 years, Leslie H. Thouin; his children Donna Cuzzone (Pownal, VT), Patricia McEwan (Worthington), Lisa Thouin (Northampton), Sandra Allen (Easthampton), and Daniel Thouin (Westhampton). He also leaves behind six grandchildren, three great-grandchildren, and his dog Penny.

Albert is also survived by his loving siblings Marjorie Thouin (Orange), Cynthia Chrystal (Hollis, NH), James Thouin (Easthampton), and Roger Thouin (Easthampton), and many nieces, nephews, and their families.

Relatives and Friends are invited to gather directly at the Center Cemetery, Cemetery Rd., Westhampton on Thursday, Nov. 13, at 11:00 A.M. where the Rites of Committal with Military Honors will be offered for Albert. A Celebration of Life for Albert will be announced at a later date.

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