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Mary E. (Purcell) Fortier
February 10, 2019

Obituary

CHICOPEE ~ Mary E. (Purcell) Fortier, 95, of the Fairview section of Chicopee and a former longtime resident of Granby, was Called Safely Home on Sunday, February 10, 2019. She passed into Eternal Life at her daughter’s home surrounded by the care and comfort of her loving family. She was born in Easthampton on February 27, 1923, a beloved daughter of the late Donald E. and Johanna (McKenna) Purcell. She was raised and educated in Easthampton and had lived in Holyoke and South Hadley for many years before moving to Granby. She later moved to Fairview in 2015. She was employed as a store detective at the former Zayre’s Department Store in Chicopee and later worked at the former National Blank Book, now Avery Dennison Corporation in Holyoke. She was a wonderful seamstress and made beautiful clothing for her family and friends. An avid bingo player, she was often seen at the weekly bingo games at the Fairview Knights of Columbus in Chicopee. Most of all, she was a wonderful homemaker to her family and showered them with her love and affection which was returned to her a thousand fold. She was a communicant of Saint Anne Church in Fairview and a communicant of Immaculate Heart of Mary Church in Granby. She was predeceased by her beloved husband and soul mate of over 73 years, George L. Fortier who was Called Home on January 24, 2015. She leaves her four loving children, William F. Fortier and his wife, Marie, of Crestview, FL, Jean E. Walker and her husband, David, of Chicopee, Robert L. Fortier of Granby and John J. Fortier of Lancaster, CA; her loving daughter-in-law, Judith Fortier of South Hadley; her 20 cherished grandchildren, 30 cherished great-grandchildren and six cherished great-great grandchildren; her three dear sisters-in-law, Roseanna Ford, Rita Fabricius and Irene Gemme; and her many dear nephews, nieces, cousins, friends and extended members of the Fortier and Purcell families. In addition to her parents and husband, she was also predeceased by her two loving sons and her loving daughter-in-law, George P. Fortier and Donald E. Fortier, Sr. and his wife, Frances D. “Fran” (Menard) Fortier; her cherished granddaughter, Katherine E. “Katie” Fortier; her three dear brothers, Edward, John and Donald Purcell; and her three dear sisters, Margaret Bernier, Dorothy Sullivan and Helen Finn. Her funeral will be held on Friday, February 15, 2019 beginning at the St. Pierre – Phaneuf Fairview Chapels, (413-533-3307), 506 Britton Street, Chicopee, MA 01020, (funeral home will open at 8:30 a.m.), followed by a Mass of Christian Burial at 10 a.m. in Saint Anne Church, 30 College Street, Chicopee, MA 01020. Her burial will follow the Mass at Notre Dame Cemetery, 63 Lyman Street, South Hadley, MA 01075. Her family will receive friends at the funeral home on Thursday, February 14, 2019 from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. The parking lot is located in the rear of the funeral home. For those who prefer, memorial donations may be made in her memory to Saint Jude Children’s Research Hospital, 501 Saint Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105-9959. For more details, please visit:
www.stpierrephaneuf.com

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St. Pierre-Phaneuf Fairview Chapels
506 Britton Street
Chicopee, MA 01020
413-533-3307