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Charles E. "Chuck" Opalenik
April 20, 2019

Obituary

HADLEY ~ Charles E. “Chuck” Opalenik, 87, of Hadley, was Called Safely Home on Saturday, April 20, 2019. He passed into Eternal Life at Cooley Dickinson Hospital in Northampton surrounded by all the memories he loved and cherished. He was born in Danbury, Connecticut on December 15, 1931, a beloved son of the late Andrew and Bertha (Kachur) Opalenik. He lived in Holyoke and Chicopee for several years and moved to Hadley in 1986. He served his country during the Korean War in the United States Air Force and attained the rank of Airman First Class. He was last employed for 22 years in the shipping and receiving department at the former James River Graphics in South Hadley. During his leisure time, he enjoyed fishing, watching Turner Classic Movies and telling jokes. Most of all, he was a quiet man who loved his family, his many friends and his feline companion and beloved cat, Meme. He was predeceased by his beloved wife of 52 years, Mari Jane (Fitzgerald) Opalenik who was Called Home on October 3, 2010; and his loving sister and brother-in-law, Dorothy A. Isom who was Called Home on May 12, 1999 and her husband, Archie D. “Jim” Isom who was Called Home on March 13, 1995. He leaves his loving nephews and nieces, Gary T. Isom and his wife, Tina, of Feeding Hills, Richard P. Isom and his wife, Gina, of Parrish, FL, Debra Sullivan and her partner, Mark Olson, of Chicopee, Lisa Isom and her husband, Brian Artherton, of Greenfield and Tammy Isom and her husband, Griff Walton, of Memphis, TN; his special friend, Lisa Gonzalez of Greenfield; and several cherished grandnephews and grandnieces. His funeral will be held on Friday morning, April 26, 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 at 10 a.m. in Saint Anne Church, 30 College Street, Chicopee, MA 01020. His burial with United States Air Force Military Honors will follow the Mass at Mater Dolorosa Cemetery, 152 Pittroff Avenue, South Hadley, MA 01075. His family will receive friends at the funeral home on Friday morning, April 26, 2019 from 8:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. before the Mass. The parking lot is in the rear of the funeral home. For more details, please visit: www.stpierrephaneuf.com

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St. Pierre-Phaneuf Fairview Chapels
506 Britton Street
Chicopee, MA 01020
413-533-3307