Jacqueline B. (Dupis) Marciano, age 79, passed away on May 19, 2022 from the Mont Marie Rehabilitation Center in Holyoke. She was born on September 2, 1942 in Chicopee, a daughter of the late Edward and Helen (Ano) Dupuis. Jacqueline graduated from American International College in Springfield in 1964, the school where she met her husband Jim. Soon after graduating she started teaching at Chicopee Public Schools. Her lifelong passion was teaching and she stayed close to the profession throughout most her life, working as a substitute teacher in Westfield for a number of years and volunteering as a pre K teacher for summer school programs in the Westfield area. She was also a proud owner of an Italian market in Westfield where she introduced the city of Westfield to proper sandwiches, Italian cold cuts, and imported cheeses. She would drive to Springfield each morning to pick up fresh Italian bread (St. Joseph, Vienna, Star Bread, and baby grinder rolls) for the store. The store constantly had the smell of fresh warm bread and Italian spices. There was usually a line outside Marciano’s Market for the famous $1 grinder that included giardiniera and Parma prosciutto or Zonin’s sausage with melted Fontina cheese (a tasty classic). Her last gig was selling paper products to Whole Foods markets in the New England area. She would often deliver her products personally to the Whole Foods in Hadley, her car loaded down with 500 lbs. of paper. Adding her flair to the delivery process, she would usually bring the employees Godiva chocolates or other goodies that made her a welcome guest at the Hadley Whole Foods loading dock. I am sure they miss her deliveries from the Mercury Tracer That Could.
It is also worth mentioning her prowess with plants. She was able to rehabilitate flora that seemed beyond saving. I would often bring her my neglected plants for the Jacky plant rehab treatment. She always save them, no matter what state they were in. Her flower gardens in Westfield, both at the old house and the apartment, had brilliant colored flowers that would welcome visitors. Her placement and arrangements were works of art. I am sure if her flower gardens could speak they would erupt into song praising Jacky and her care for them – hallelujah Jacky. Besides being a plant whisperer (I completely serious about that), she was also a lover of animals, especially dogs. At one point in the “dog years” she had three Great Pyrenees living with her and Jim. Nick, Jacques, and Lily combined weight was 340 lbs. Her and her close friend Maurine would walk the three hulking dogs through the neighborhood, the two outweighed by their canine companions by at least 100lbs. It was quite a sight in the neighborhood. Her kindness and compassion were not only reserved for humans.
One of her biggest joys was to kayak and swim at Russel Pond. She loved to explore the shorelines and scout for turtles, beaver, and fish in the shallows. She would spend a good part of her summer days on the pond’s public beach, watching the children and dogs play in the water and waiting for the tranquil midsummer sunsets to arrive. One of her favorite kayaking stories was when she followed her son down the Deerfield River through a tight section of rapids known as the Shunpike section. Her son pushed her to try to “thread the needle” through two large boulders in middle of the river. The needle didn’t quite thread and she was catapulted out of the kayak as she hit one of the rocks head on and sent down stream through the shallows. Luckily she was helped to shore by one of her son’s friends. She was a great sport that day.
Jacky is predeceased by her husband James V. Marciano who passed away in 2017. She is survived by one son, James Marciano of Manchester, CT; and one brother Lou Dupuis of Westfield. She is also survived by a strong group of friends that she cared for her deeply. Her love for them was certainly known.
There will be a Catholic Mass held in her honor at St. Peter and St. Casimir in Westfield, MA on June 4th at 10 A.M. This will be followed by a lunch at Masse’s Fish Market at 11:45.
The Grise Funeral Home is entrusted with arrangements. For online condolences, please visit www.GriseFH.com.