CHICOPEE ~ Richard E. “Dick” Roy, 88, a longtime resident of the Fairview section of Chicopee, was Called Safely Home on Monday, March 4, 2019. He passed into Eternal Life at the Soldiers’ Home in Holyoke surrounded by the care and comfort of his loving family, his comrades-at-arms and his wonderful caregivers. He was born in Holyoke on May 8, 1930, a beloved son of the late Gaston and Aldegonde (Martinbeau) Roy. He was raised in Holyoke and later lived on Gladu Avenue and Beech Streets, both in Fairview before moving to Westfield in 1986. He later returned to Fairview and had been a resident of the Soldiers’ Home since 2016. He served his country during the Korean War in the United States Navy and attained the rank of Seaman. He was last employed as a machinist at the former Acme Chain, which later became US Tsubaki, in Holyoke. He was a communicant of Saint Anne Church in Fairview. He was a member of the former Chicopee Draft Board and a longtime member of the Fairview Council 4044 Knights of Columbus and the Fourth Degree of the Bishop Joseph F. Maguire Assembly 2670 of the Knights of Columbus, all in Chicopee. He was predeceased by his beloved wife, Esther R. (Bellerose) Roy who was Called Home on February 18, 1986. He leaves his wife, Dorothy D. Roy and her children; his three loving children, Wayne R. Roy and his wife, Nikki, of Chicopee, Sharon L. Viola and her husband, David, of Abingdon, MD and Brian D. Roy and his husband, John Bourgeois, of Milton, VT; his six cherished grandchildren, Traci Roy and her wife, Amanda Roy, Wayne Roy, Jr. and his wife, Kate, Corey Wuller and his wife, Lynn, Casie Leiper and her husband, Daniel, Stephen Viola and his wife, Heather, and Nicholas Viola; his eight cherished great-grandchildren, Cameron Roy, Nicole Wuller, Tyler Wuller, Olivia Leiper, Grace Leiper, Dana Leiper, Alaina Leiper and Maryjane Leiper; his two dear brothers, Donald Roy and his wife, Barbara, of Myrtle Beach, SC and Robert Roy and his wife, Marie, of Chicopee; his dear sister, Denise Manseau and her husband, Richard, of North Carolina; his dear brother-in-law, Randy Bellerose of Las Vegas, NV; and his many dear nephews, nieces, cousins, friends and extended members of the Roy and Bellerose families. Besides his parents and first wife, he was also predeceased by his cherished great-grandson, Daniel Leiper who was Called Home on May 21, 2015; and his two dear sisters, Doris Desroches and Jean LaCoy. His family would like to express their deepest thanks to his comrades-at arms, his many friends and the entire staff at the Soldiers’ Home in Holyoke for the wonderful care they provided to Dick over the past several years. His funeral will be held on Friday, March 8, 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 with United States Navy Military Honors at 10 a.m. in Saint Anne Church, 30 College Street, Chicopee, MA 01020. His burial will be private at a later date at Notre Dame Cemetery in South Hadley. His family will receive friends at the funeral home on Thursday, March 7, 2019 from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. The parking lot is located in the rear of the funeral home. In lieu of flowers, his family requests that memorial donations be made in his memory to the Soldiers’ Home in Holyoke Activity Fund, 110 Cherry Street, Holyoke, MA 01040. For more details, please visit: www.stpierrephaneuf.com
