CHICOPEE - Joseph C. Babineau, 93, of the Aldenville section of Chicopee was Called Safely Home on Veteran's Day, Sunday November 11, 2012. He passed into Eternal Life at Kindred Hospital Park View in Springfield surrounded by the love of his family and caregivers. He was born at home in Chicopee on April 4, 1919 a beloved son of the late Edmond J. and Mary M. (Desroches) Babineau. He was raised in Chicopee, graduated in 1937 from the former Chicopee Vocational High School and was a lifelong resident of the city. He served his country in the United States Army during World War II with the Headquarters Battery of the 225th Anti-Aircraft Artillery Battalion and attained the rank of Master Sergeant. During his military service, Joe cleared many secret documents of confidential nature through his department and received several letters of commendation from his superiors. He received the nickname of "Silent Joe" as a tribute of his refusal to give out any official information to unauthorized individuals. Joe served in the Aleutian Islands and the South Pacific and received the American Defense Service Medal, the Asiatic Pacific Theater Campaign Ribbon, the American Theater Campaign Ribbon and the World War II Victory Medal. Following his military service, he returned to Chicopee and was employed for a short time at the former Fisk Tire and Rubber Company, which was later Uniroyal. Joe was appointed to the Chicopee Fire Department reserve list on February 4, 1948 and, on December 23, 1949 was appointed a permanent fireman. During his career, he served at the Cabot Street Fire Station and the Aldenville Station, retiring in 1981 from his last duty assignment at Headquarters on Church Street with the rank of Captain. Joe was a graduate of the Massachusetts Fire Academy and received a Fire Science Degree from Springfield Technical Community College which certified him as a Fire Science Instructor in the State of Massachusetts. He also studied at the New Haven Fire Academy and was an instructor for the American Red Cross, served as an Emergency Medical Technician and was instrumental in establishing the ambulance service through the fire department for the City of Chicopee. In 1967, Captain Babineau was named by the late Fire Chief Edward Borowiec as the first Certified Drillmaster Training Instructor for the Chicopee Fire Department. Joe received several citations from the Chicopee Fire Department during his career but was especially proud of receiving the Honor Medal for Life Saving which he and his company received for their rescue actions at a fire in 1961on Sheridan Circle. Without regard for their lives, they passed out three children to their mother and went back into the fire to rescue a fourth. In 1954, Joe joined the Elder Council 69 Knights of Columbus in Chicopee and was a proud member for 58 years. He also was a 55 year member of the Fourth Degree Knights of Columbus and a member, past Faithful Navigator and longtime Commander of the Honor Guard of the Father Daniel Doyle Assembly 2631. Through the Assembly, he initiated a program named “Coats for Kids” that provided winter coats for the students of Chicopee. He was a member of the Massachusetts Fire and Police Retiree's Association, a life member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 625 in Chicopee, the Over 60 Club in Chicopee and the Tiger's Athletic Club in Chicopee Falls. Active in his faith, Joe was a longtime communicant of the former Saint Patrick Church in Chicopee Falls where he served for many years as a Eucharistic Minister and administered Holy Communion to many homebound communicants and patients at Baystate Medical Center in Springfield. He was currently a communicant of Sainte Rose de Lima Church in Aldenville. He was predeceased by his beloved wife and best friend, Sophie N. (Nowak) Babineau. They were married on April 2, 1945 at the Basilica of Saint Stanislaus Bishop and Martyr in Chicopee and were blessed with over 52 years of happiness together. He leaves his devoted sons, Joseph K. "Chip" Babineau and his wife Christine of Belchertown and Kenneth J. Babineau and his wife Melanie of Florida; his three cherished granddaughters, Stephanie Pirroni of Columbia, South America, Michelle Pirroni of Southwick and Brooke Babineau and her husband Thomas McBride of California; and his many dear nephews and nieces. Besides his parents and wife, he was also predeceased by his dear brother, Raymond E. Babineau; and his dear sisters, Agnes M. Hickie, Rita A. Valiquette and Margaret M. Roberts. His funeral will be held on Friday morning November 16, 2012 beginning at the St. Pierre - Phaneuf Aldenville Chapels, (413-532-9806), 13 Dale Street, Chicopee, MA 01020, (funeral home will open at 8 a.m.), followed by a Mass of Christian Burial at 9:30 a.m. in Sainte Rose de Lima Church, 600 Grattan Street, Chicopee, MA 01020. His burial with Military Honors, Fire Department Honors and Knights of Columbus Honors will follow the Mass at Saint Patrick Cemetery, 168 Fuller Road, Chicopee Falls, MA 01020. His family will receive friends at the funeral home on Thursday November 15, 2012 from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. The parking lot and main entrance are located in the rear of the funeral home at 20 Lafayette Street, Chicopee, MA 01020. Joe requested that memorial donations be made in his memory to either Saint Jude Children's Research Hospital, 501 Saint Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105-1942, the American Red Cross, Pioneer Valley Chapter, 506 Cottage Street, Springfield, MA 01104, the Sainte Rose de Lima Church Organ Fund 15 Chapel Street, Chicopee, MA 01020 or the Father Daniel Doyle Assembly Coats for Kids, c/o Dan Therrien, 460 Granby Road, Chicopee, MA 01013.