ENFIELD, CT ~ Gina M. Edwards, 48, of Enfield, CT and a former longtime resident of Chicopee, MA, was Called Safely Home on Thursday, February 14, 2019. She passed into Eternal Life at Baystate Medical Center in Springfield, MA surrounded by the care and comfort of her loving family and her wonderful caregivers. Gina was born in Holyoke, MA on August 6, 1970, a beloved daughter of John J. and Diana M. (Lavarnway) Edwards. She was raised in Chicopee and graduated from Saint Joan of Arc Elementary School in Chicopee. Through her education at Saint Joan, Gina realized as a young girl that she wanted to be a school teacher. She furthered her education and graduated from Holyoke Catholic High School in Holyoke and Holyoke Community College. She later received her Bachelor’s Degree and Master’s Degree in Special Education from the College of Our Lady of the Elms in Chicopee. Gina began her career in education at the Remrock Learning Center in Belchertown. She later moved on to work for the Chicopee School Department at the Valley Opportunity Center in Chicopee and had last worked for 13 years as a Special Education Teacher at the Bellamy Middle School in Chicopee. Gina was a member of the Massachusetts Teachers Association. During her leisure time, she enjoyed being outdoors whether camping or gardening. She loved dancing, cooking and pinning on Pinterest. Gina truly cared about her many students and often donated her personal time and her own money supplying her students with needed school items and clothes as so many educators do. She was first and foremost a caretaker and a caregiver. Above all, she loved spending time with her family, her friends, her co-workers and her students. Gina will be deeply missed by her beloved husband and best friend, Steven M. LaPlante. They were married on October 4, 2016 in Enfield and were blessed with many years of happiness together. She also leaves her three loving children, Jonathan D. Hanna, Julia D. Hanna and Austin C. Hanna, all of Chicopee; her beloved mother, Diana M. (Lavarnway) Edwards of South Hadley and her fiancé, Peter M. Ferland of Wilbraham; her beloved father, John J. Edwards and his partner, Sheila Rollend, of Chicopee; her loving sister, Lorrie A. Carlson and her husband, Robert, of Broad Brook, CT; her two loving brothers, Jason J. Edwards and Eric Whateley, both of Chicopee; and her many cherished aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews, cousins, friends and extended members of the LaPlante, Edwards and Lavarnway families. She will also be deeply missed by her beloved canine companions, Wolfie and Gypsy. She was predeceased by her loving sister, Cheryl Lynn Edwards who was Called Home on July 6, 2014. Her family will receive friends on Friday, February 22, 2019 from 2 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. followed by a 4:30 p.m. Celebration of Life Service at the St. Pierre-Phaneuf Springfield Chapels, (413-737-1177), 7 Chapin Terrace, Springfield, MA 01107. Her burial will be private at the convenience of her family. In lieu of flowers and because of Gina’s love of her early education, her family requests that memorial donations be made in her memory to Saint Joan of Arc School, 587 Grattan Street, Chicopee, MA 01020. For more details, please visit: www.stpierrephaneuf.com
