LAKE PLACID, FL – Thomas C. Cairns, 70, a resident since 2010 of Lake Placid, Florida and a former longtime resident of the Aldenville section of Chicopee, was Called Safely Home on Saturday, December 20, 2014. He passed into Eternal Life at Highlands Regional Medical Center in Sebring, Florida surrounded by the care and comfort of his loving family and friends. He was born in Westfield on April 20, 1944, a beloved son of the late Thomas C. and Catherine E. (Lafountain) Cairns. He was raised in Ludlow, graduated in 1962 from Ludlow High School and lived in Ludlow for many years before moving to the Aldenville section of Chicopee around 1964. He later furthered his education by attending Holyoke Community College. In 1984, he graduated from Western New England College where he received a Bachelor of Science Degree with a major in accounting. He was employed as an accountant for many years at the Holyoke Soldiers Home. He was a member of the Tigers Athletic Club in Chicopee Falls and a member of the GTO Club as he had a prized red 1970 Pontiac GTO convertible. He was a longtime communicant of the former Saint George Church in Chicopee Falls and now a communicant of Sainte Rose de Lima Church in Aldenville. Throughout the many challenges with his illness and loss of sight, Tom always had a positive outlook on life and cherished the time spent with his wonderful grandchildren and family. His family’s most fond memories of Tom will be his quick wit, his sense of humor, the way he made everyone laugh and most especially the family trip to the Bahamas. He was predeceased by his beloved wife, Shirley J. (Denette) Cairns who was Called Home on May 19, 1997. They were married on September 26, 1964 at the former Saint George Church in Chicopee Falls and were blessed with over 32 years of happiness together. He leaves his four loving children, Sheryl J. Fijol and her husband, John, of Shrewsbury, Sharon M. Bergeron and her husband, Mark, of Monson, Kimberly A. Masse and her husband, Darren, of Belchertown, and Thomas L. Cairns and his wife, Sarah, of Youngsville, LA; his ten cherished grandchildren, Amber and Zachary Fijol; Kyle and Connor Monaghan and Brandon Bergeron; Cameron, Colby and Caitlin Masse; and Nicklaus and Andrew Cairns; his loving sister, Katherine Giebner and her husband, Norman, of Ludlow; his brother-in-law, Leonard Denette and his wife, Carolyn, of Wilbraham; his cherished aunt, Margaret “Marge” Cox of Granby; and his many dear nephews, nieces, cousins and extended members of the Cairns and Denette families. His funeral will be held on Friday morning, December 26, 2014 beginning at the St. Pierre – Phaneuf Aldenville Chapels, (413-532-9806), 13 Dale Street, Chicopee, MA 01020, (funeral home will open at 10:30 a.m.) followed by a Mass of Christian Burial at 1 pm in Sainte Rose de Lima Church, 600 Grattan Street, Chicopee, MA 01020. His burial will follow the Mass at Sainte Rose Cemetery, 49 Olsen Street, Chicopee, MA 01020. His family will receive friends at the funeral home on Friday morning, December 26, 2014 from 10:30 am to 12:30 pm before the Mass. The parking lot and main entrance are located in the rear of the funeral home at 20 Lafayette Street, Chicopee, MA 01020. His family has requested that memorial donations be made in his memory to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, Massachusetts Chapter, Suite 101, 9 Erie Drive, Natick, MA 01760. For more details, please visit: www.stpierrephaneuf.com