CHICOPEE – Marie E. (Chretien) Leduc, 99, of the Aldenville section of Chicopee, was Called Safely Home on Thursday, June 1, 2017. She passed into Eternal Life at Heritage Hall South in Agawam surrounded by all the memories that she loved and cherished. She was born at home on Edward Street in the Aldenville section of Chicopee on April 6, 1918, the beloved daughter of the late Charles and Orise (Desmarais) Chretien. She was raised in Aldenville, graduated from Chicopee High School and was a lifelong resident of Aldenville. She furthered her education and received a Business Certificate from the Holyoke School of Business. She was employed as a tester at the former F.W. Sickles Company in Chicopee and had previously worked at the former Steiger’s Department Store in Springfield. She was a communicant of Sainte Rose de Lima Church in Chicopee and was an active member of the Chicopee Senior Center. Marie’s family will mourn the loss of a gregarious, vivacious and gracious lady who exemplified all the attributes one would expect to find in a member of the “Greatest Generation”. Marie loved life and met many challenges with resilience and fortitude. Industrious by nature, she continually set new goals for herself and would persevere with diligence to achieve them. She found joy and solace in the outdoors and witnessed God in the world around her. Marie was a loving daughter, wife, mother and grandmother who was always generous with her time and inspired her family with her patience, gentleness and humor. She will leave her cherished family a beautiful legacy of love. She was predeceased by her beloved husband and best friend, Raymond O. Leduc who was Called Home on March 3, 1996. They were married on May 25, 1940 at Sainte Rose de Lima Church and were blessed with over 55 years of happiness together. Besides her parents and husband, she was also predeceased by her loving son, Raymond B. Leduc who was Called Home on July 10, 2010; her cherished granddaughter, Lisa Cavallaro who was Called Home on June 11, 2015; and her loving son-in-law, Clifford D. Gonneville who was Called Home on December 14, 2004. She leaves her two loving children, Robert C. Leduc and his wife, Norma, and Joanne Gonneville Purcell and her husband, Keith Purcell, all of Chicopee; her loving daughter-in-law, Lora Leduc of Bristol, ME; her eight cherished grandchildren, Gregory Leduc and his wife, Laurie, Brian Leduc and his wife, Linda, Michael Leduc, Kimberly Cowan and her husband, John, Robert Leduc, Daniel Leduc, Jeffrey Gonneville and wife, Sandra, and Elizabeth Sawyer and her husband, Perry; several cherished great-grandchildren; and her many dear cousins and friends. Her family would like to thank her wonderful caregivers from the A Wing at Heritage Hall South for their kindness and gentle care that they provided to her over the past six years. Her funeral will be held on Wednesday morning, June 7, 2017 beginning at the St. Pierre-Phaneuf Aldenville Chapels, (413-532-9806), 13 Dale Street, Chicopee, MA 01020, (funeral home will open at 8:30 a.m.), followed by a Mass of Christian Burial at 10:30 a.m. at Sainte Rose de Lima Church, 600 Grattan Street, Chicopee, MA 01020. Her burial will follow the Mass at Sainte Rose Cemetery, 49 Olsen Street, Chicopee, MA 01020. Her family will receive friends at the funeral home on Wednesday morning, June 7, 2017 from 8:30 a.m. to 10 a.m. before the Mass. The parking lot and main entrance are located at the rear of the funeral home at 20 Lafayette Street, Chicopee, MA 01020. For those who prefer, her family requests that memorial donations be made in her memory to The Friends of Chicopee Senior Citizens, Inc., Attention: New Building Fund, 5 West Main Street, Chicopee, MA 01020. For more details, please visit: www.stpierrephaneuf.com
