On July 25, 2021, heaven gained another angel when Colleen (Shepard) Sadak of Longmeadow passed onto eternal life after a fearless and courageous fight against lung cancer. She never lost hope as she remained positive in every step of her journey! Colleen was born in Springfield, to the late Edward and Elizabeth Shepard. She attended Holy Name Grammar School, Technical High School, and Mansfield Academy. In 1965, she married her beloved husband, John, and together they had a beautiful life with their two sons, John II and Joseph; daughters-in law, Deborah and Michelle; and her eight grandchildren, John Michael III, Katherine, Tyler, Olivia, Margaret, Delaney, Mark, and Camden, whom she shared an unbreakable bond with! Her sons, daughters-in-law and eight grandchildren were truly the love of her life. Her role as a wife, mother, and grandmother is where she drew her strength and where she left her legacy. Colleen always believed “family first” and she was so proud to pass that motto onto her loving grandchildren. Her grandchildren brought so much joy to her life and put many smiles on her face. She had a heart of gold and a smile of pure joy when she was with her grandchildren. Nothing pleased Colleen more than gathering with family and friends. Countless birthdays, holidays, family gatherings and vacations were the most precious times of her life, as it was for anyone, she spent time with. She will also be fondly missed by her two dear sisters-in-law, Sally and Marie Sadak. In addition to her family, Colleen enjoyed spending time with her special friends, Mike and Barbara, Mary and Pic, and Anne and Richie with whom she fully enjoyed their company and their many trips together. Colleen will always be remembered for her kindness, strength and wisdom and will be deeply missed every day, in the hearts of her family and friends. In our hearts your memory lingers sweetly tender, fond and true. There is not a day, dear Colleen that we will not think of you. Loving you, missing you, and remembering you! Yes, our family chain may now be broken and nothing will seem the same, but, as God calls us one by one, the chain will link us again! The family wishes to extend their deep appreciation to Dr. Philip Glynn, and all the staff at Sister Caritas Cancer Center for their very compassionate care. The family also wishes to thank the superior medical and support staff of the Mercy Medical Center for the extraordinary care that they provided. We will be forever grateful. A Liturgy of Christian Burial will be held on Saturday, July 31, 2021 at 10 a.m. at Saint Anthony Maronite Catholic Church, 375 Island Pond Road, Springfield, MA 01118. Her entombment will follow the Mass at Saint Michael the Archangel Chapel Mausoleum, 1601 State Street, Springfield, MA 01109. There will be no visiting hours. The St. Pierre-Phaneuf Springfield Chapels, (413-737-1177), 7 Chapin Terrace, Springfield, MA 01107 is assisting the family. Donations in Colleen’s memory may be made to St. Anthony Maronite Catholic Church, 375 Island Pond Road, Springfield, MA 01118 or to the Sister Caritas Cancer Center, c/o Mercy Medical Center, 271 Carew Street, Springfield, MA 01104. For more details and to leave condolence messages, please visit:
www.stpierrephaneuf.com
