Shelburne Falls & West County Independent

06/15/2026

Stanley Lewandowski

SHELBURNE FALLS – Stanley Lewandowski Jr. passed away peacefully on May 22, 2026, surrounded by his family. He was born on July 24, 1961 to the late Stanley and Carolyn.

Stanley lived a life centered on family, adventure, and the simple joys that brought people together. He will be remembered for his big heart, strength, and the lasting impact he had on those who knew and loved him.

Stanley leaves behind his wife, Jodi; their children, Stanley III, Bryan, daughter-in-law Marina, grandson Anthony, daughter Stacie, son-in-law Brian, and grandson Nathaniel.

Stanley is also survived by his brother, David, and his sister, Patty, and brother-in-law, Gerry, along with many nieces and nephews. In addition to his family, Stanley leaves behind many close, lifelong friends who he cherished.

Stanley was an avid NASCAR fan who enjoyed traveling to races, cross-country camping trips, snowmobiling, flying remote control airplanes, and making maple syrup with the help of his family and many friends.

You will be missed by many, Stanley.

There will be no services.

06/14/2026

Phyllis Shaw

COLRAIN — Phyllis (Coutu) Shaw passed away June 12, 2026. She was born on Aug. 1, 1925, the daughter of Joseph and Cora Coutu. She grew up in Griswoldville and attended Arms Academy.

Phyllis marred Bertram Shaw on June 17, 1944 and celebrated 61 years together before his passing. She has now joined him in heaven to celebrate a heavenly 82nd anniversary.

Phyllis is survived by her son, Bernard Shaw, and his wife, Linda; daughter Marie and her husband, Guy Hodgkins; daughter-in-law Jennifer Shaw; and godson, Mark Coutu. She is also survived by her 13 grandchildren; 17 great-grandchildren; three great-great-grandchildren; her sister, Muriel Gilmartin; and brother, Irivin Coutu; sister-in-law, Joan Coutu; and many cousins, nieces, nephews, and friends.

Phyllis was a dedicated homemaker and housekeeper. She loved spending time with her family, especially doing celebrations and holidays. She loved knitting and crocheting many family heirloom pieces.

In past years she enjoyed camping with her family as members of the Mohawk chapter of family campers. Phyllis loved being outdoors watching and listening for the birds and indoors watching her bird feeders. She enjoyed doing puzzles and, most recently, working on them with her daughter-in-law and granddaughter.

She was much loved and will be greatly missed.

Phyllis was also predeceased by her son, Gary, and his first wife, Leslie; her sister, Marion, and her husband, Tony Paoletti; brothers John and wife, Cecile, James Coutu, Wilfred and his wife, Jean Coutu; brothers-in-law Richard Robbins and Thomas Gilmartin.

Phyllis was devoted to St. Joseph's Parish in Shelburne Falls and St. John's in Colrain. She had an amazing faith and love of God.

Services for Phyllis will be calling hours on Thursday, June 18 from 4-6 p.m. at Smith- Kelleher Funeral Home, 40 Church Street Shelburne Falls. The funeral mass will be at St. John's Church in Colrain at 10 a.m. followed by burial in the West Branch Cemetery in Colrain.

06/14/2026

Warren Kirkpatrick

ASHFIELD — Warren Kirkpatrick, 80, passed away peacefully on June 6, 2026 in his home surrounded by loved ones.

Born to Charles Phillips and Mildred (Mac Manis) Hull, he was a caring husband, beloved father, grandfather, brother, and friend to all and his presence will be greatly missed.

Warren led a life in selfless service for others, often putting their needs before his own. As a scout Air Explorer from a very young age, he continued his love and sense of duty for his community and country when he enlisted in the United States Coast Guard after graduating high school.

From August 1965 to July 1969 he served in the United States Navy as a Gunner's Mate GM2EF aboard the U.S.C.G.C Yakutat. His six tours in Vietnam were spent patrolling the rivers and coasts of the country. Not only did he share his knowledge with countless recruits coming to Vietnam for the first time, but he was also granted a naval commendation medal for acts of bravery and quick thinking that saved the lives of his fellow crew members.

In his professional life, he served the public first as deputy sheriff at the Franklin County House of Corrections and as a captain and then chief of the Ashfield Police Dept. He continued to serve Ashfield when he accepted a position as a member of the Ashfield Highway Dept. For 43 years he held the position of Ashfield Animal Control Officer, earning awards and certifications from the state. Warren was the epitome of a hard worker and often held two jobs at time

As a 64-year resident of Ashfield, Warren's commitment to community never wavered. After the war and until the present, he volunteered his time alternating as EMT, fire department crew, deputy tax collector, town constable, and as a commander in the American Legion Post 245.

He liked to spend his free time at Otis Lake fishing with his wife and he could be found cheering his daughter and granddaughter on at their softball games, or s***t shooting with his son and childhood friend, Walter.

Warren was always the first to help. An all around handyman, he had creative solutions to seemingly every problem. He stood by his children through many life changes, and household moves, once driving a young teenaged stepdaughter to Wisconsin to help her get settled into a new life. During these many moves he often took the position of “the man in charge,” orchestrating the perfect move.

Always up for a family celebration, he could often be found behind the grill cooking food for all to enjoy. He thoroughly enjoyed life, family, and being in the middle of all of the action. He treated others with respect and a sense of fairness and has left an unfillable void to us all.

Warren is survived by his wife, Betty Lesure; son, Todd ( Cathy Kirkpatrick); daughter, Heather (Kirkpatrick) Davis; stepdaughters, Christine (Lesure) Marten & Dianne (Lesure) Potochniak; sister, Karin Kirkpatrick; grandchildren, Samantha, Meghan, Anna, Dylan, Jordan, and Alex; and countless friends from all over the region and beyond. Warren was predeceased by his parents and brother, Scott Kirkpatrick.

A funeral service for Warren will be held at Ashfield Congregational Church 429 Main Street, Ashfield on June 20 at 2 p.m. The family invites all who knew him to attend.

Graveside burial at Plain Cemetery in Ashfield will commence directly after the service, followed by a reception at the friendship hall of the church. All are welcome to partake and share/ listen to stories of favorite memories of Warren.

In lieu of flowers the family requests that donations be made to Hilltown Churches Food Pantry or the Franklin County Sheriff's Regional Dog Shelter.

06/11/2026

Eva M. (Newbury) Otten
July 29, 1943 — May 22, 2026

ATHOL — Eva Mae (Newbury) Otten passed away on Friday, May 22, 2026. She loved to travel but for six months she visited six different hospitals for at least eight stays. This was not how she wanted to travel.

Eva was born in the hospital in Gardner in 1943 and grew up in Athol. Her parents, Alice and Robert Newbury, were fully involved in her activities. A lot of the activities was playing music on her clarinet. She talked about being in numerous bands and at one point was either playing concerts or practicing with her band every night of the week. She started a music studio in the '60s, teaching students music after school. She also started the Petersham youth band, giving the students a head start before heading to Mahar.

When her brother became old enough to join Scouting, the whole family became involved. While working as a volunteer, she earned Scouting's highest award, the Silver Beaver. This was lucky for her future husband, Peter, whom she met in Scouting. She was the trainer for Cub Scouts, he was the greenhorn Scout executive. But she saw something in him, and they married in 1987.

Eva was a music teacher at Mohawk District schools, first at both BSE and Colrain Central in the early '70s, where she was responsible for over 500 students who wanted to learn music. Later she taught just at BSE. She not only taught classroom music but also instrumental and every year put on a show (musical or variety). She taught for 34 years and as you walked downtown with her she would point out all the people who had been her students. There were many of them.

She lived in Shelburne and Buckland for over 50 years, loving the village of Shelburne Falls before moving back to Athol.

Beyond school Eva served as president of the Mohawk District Education Association, member of the Franklin County Retired Educators Association of Massachusetts, one of the founders and conducted the Franklin County Elementary Music Festival, conducted many middle school musicals at Mohawk, conducted the Shelburne Falls Military Band, and simply seldom said "no" if asked to help out.

After Peter and Eva married, they spent many summers on the road during school vacations. First in a camper, and later using AirBNBs. During their almost 39 years of marriage, they succeeded in visiting every state in the USA as well as stops in Canada and many European countries.

After retirement, they both continued to travel all over the country and Europe, visiting family and seeing new sights. She always enjoyed telling all the stories about her travel

She loved her family. She always looked forward to visiting her brother, Robert, and his wife, Alice, in Rochester as well as the in-laws in multiple states. There were 17 nieces and nephews and now some 20 great-nieces and nephews around the country and beyond. For years she and her husband ran what they called “rent a kid,” where any of the nieces or nephews could come and visit for a week or so before going home again. She loved each visit as if the kids were her own.

Please, in lieu of flowers consider a donation to the Senior Center in Shelburne (SCF, P.O. Box 464, Shelburne Falls, MA 01370) or to a special music program of your choice.

Mack Family Funeral Homes of Orange assisted the family with services in May.

A private ceremony and burial took place at the convenience of the family.

06/11/2026

Edmund Arruda

Edmund S. Arruda, 80, of Old Stage Road, passed away peacefully on June 4, 2026.

Born in New Bedford, MA on Aug, 9, 1945, he was the son of Francisco and Gilda (Costa) Arruda.

Ed proudly served in the United States Air Force during the Vietnam War, attaining the rank of staff sergeant. During his service from 1967 to 1971, one of his responsibilities was debriefing pilots returning from missions, a role that required both professionalism and compassion.

Following his honorable discharge, Ed devoted much of his professional life to advocating for others through his work as a social worker and human rights spokesperson. He embodied fairness, dignity, and vigilantly helped all in his workplace.

Those who knew Ed will remember him as a caring, thoughtful man with a good soul. His kindness, wisdom, and honed wit changed many lives.

Ed was predeceased by his beloved wife, Laura (Byrom) Arruda. The love he shared with Laura made his life good and he missed her deeply following her passing.

He was a devoted husband to his beloved Laurie, a proud, loving father, and he cherished all moments spent with his family.

He is survived by his son, Sebastian Arruda, who resides in Raymond, NH; his sisters, Julie Stone of New Bedford, MA and Cherie Collin de Casaubon and her husband, Didier, of Maupas, France; and many extended family members who will miss him dearly.

Calling hours will be held Tuesday, June 16 from 10-11 a.m. at Smith-Kelleher Funeral Home, 40 Church Street, Shelburne Falls. A Memorial Mass of Christian Burial will follow at 11 a.m. at St. Joseph's Church, 34 Monroe Avenue, Shelburne Falls. Burial services will follow at Plain Cemetery in Ashfield.

06/10/2026

Jonathan Tower

Jonathan M. “Jon” Tower, 49, passed away Thursday, June 4, 2026 following a courageous battle with cancer.

He was born in Springfield, MA on Sept. 22, 1976, the son of Richard and Christine (Dow) Tower, Sr. He was a graduate of Mohawk Trail Regional High School, class of ’95.

He was a certified HVAC technician employed with Suburban Propane for a number of years and also maintained his CDL.

Jon was the guy who made friends wherever he was. His blue eyes, big smile, contagious laugh, and sense of humor made him an instant friend. His big heart shown through as he put others before himself, such as caring for his mother in her home before she passed.

In his teens he was a deacon at the Rowe Community Church, he enjoyed fishing, flea markets, and Marvel superheroes, among other things.

He was a member of the Recover Project in Greenfield and volunteered at events to provide information about the program. He was proud of the fact he was over three years sober.

His family he leaves behind include his son, Jackson, and daughter, Grace; brother, Richard (Carrie) Tower, Jr.; sister, Nancy (Aaron) Hickox; close friend, Ellie Richardson, and many cousins.

Services will be held Saturday, June 20 at Smith-Kelleher Funeral Home, 40 Church St., Shelburne Falls. A visiting hour will begin at 11 a.m. followed by the funeral service at 12 p.m. Burial will immediately follow in East Cemetery in Rowe. A reception will be at the family home after the cemetery service.

In lieu of flowers, the family wishes donations be made to the New England Donor Services via www.neds.org.

06/10/2026

Conrad Long

SHELBURNE – Conrad Alden Long was born July 3, 1947 in Shelburne at his family’s homestead and passed away peacefully on the morning of May 3, 2026.

Conrad lived his life with a joyful spirit, always greeting neighbors, friends, and strangers with a warm smile and hello. He lived most of his life at the Long family homestead on Old Mohawk Trail.

A graduate of Arms Academy and Johnson & Wales, he worked much of his career at The Phoenix in Greenfield and C & S in Brattleboro, VT.

In his younger years, Conrad was an avid traveler and a dedicated Civil War historian who especially enjoyed visiting historical sites.

He also loved bowling, whether competing at the local alley or watching matches on Sunday afternoons.

Although he lived with cerebral palsy, he never let it slow him down; he was a productive participant in farm chores for many years, from gathering sap with his family to chopping and stacking wood.

Additionally, he was a long-time member of the Shelburne Grange and Shelburne Congregational Church.

He was predeceased by his parents, Helen and Gordon Long; his sister, Fleurette Patterson; sister-in-law, Arnice; and brothers-in-law, Hugh Wilder and Ray Patterson. He is survived by his brother, Joel Long; nieces Katrina Long Ouellette (Alan) and Melody McWherter (Karl); and nephew Aaron Long (Rebecca). He is also survived by his sister’s children, Trevor Wilder (Susan) and Dan Wilder, as well as many cousins, great-nieces, and great-nephews. He is also survived by his former wife and long-time friend, Susan.

There will be a graveside service at Hillside Cemetery in Shelburne on June 20 at 12 p.m. for family and friends.

Conrad spent much of his youth at Shriners Hospital. With gratitude, any donations in Conrad’s memory may be made to The Shriners Hospital in Springfield, MA. The family also thanks the staff at Charlene Manor for their care of Conrad over the last year of his life.

06/10/2026

Robin Wells Nims Reynolds

COLRAIN – Robin Wells Nims Reynolds of Colrain passed away Sunday morning, June 7, 2026, at Tufts Medical Center in Boston from complications due to pulmonary arterial hypertension. Her family was by her side at the time of her passing.

Robin was born in Northampton to Janet and David Nims on Oct. 9, 1967 and raised in Hatfield until the age of 8, when the family moved to Colrain. Robin attended local schools and graduated from Franklin County Technical School in 1986.

Following graduation, Robin worked at Buckley Nursing Home in Greenfield for 14 years until she became a stay-at-home mom to her two sons, the greatest joys of her life. More recently, Robin dusted off her care giving skills and worked as personal care assistant, giving long-term, in-home care for several clients until she herself needed care.

Robin had the kindest heart and always had a smile and hello for everybody she knew. No one can deny that she was the sweetest person. In her spare time, Robin loved to bake and took every opportunity to share her goodies at every family gathering or church fellowship. Other joys were her family camping vacations in Maine and at Spofford Lake in New Hampshire. She loved spending time with family, whether it was playing cards, swimming, or sitting watching the sunset.

Robin is survived by her husband, Rick, of nearly 27 years; their sons, Bryan of Ashfield and Cody of Greenfield; her father, David Nims of Colrain; her mother-in-law, Barbara Reynolds of Saranac, NY; her sisters, Pam and JR Jacobson of Averill Park, NY, Amy and Greg Lindahl of Florence, MA, and Wendy Nims of Narragansett, RI; her brother-in-law, Matt Reynolds of Montague; nieces and nephews, Allie (Nick), Laura and James Williams, Jake and Lilly Jacobson, and Nate and Mia Lindahl; and her life-long friend, Pam Girard. She is also survived by many aunts, uncles, numerous cousins, and countless friends from across her life’s path.

Robin was predeceased by her mother, Janet Lilly Nims, her father-in-law, Gerry Reynolds, and her brother, Scott Nims.

Calling hours will be at Smith-Kelleher Funeral Home, 40 Church Street, Shelburne Falls, on Thursday, June 11 from 6-8 p.m. A funeral service will be held at 12 p.m. on Saturday, June 20 at Colrain Community Church, 306 Main Road, Colrain, MA. A celebration of life reception will follow at the church.

In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation to the Colrain Community Church.

06/06/2026

06/02/2026

Paul Delman Atherton

A celebration of life will be held for Paul Atherton on Sunday, June 14 at 11:30 a.m. at the Mary Lyon Church in Buckland.

Paul was 84 when he passed away on Feb. 26 in Beverly Hills, FL.
He was born July 22, 1941 in Northampton and raised in Buckland by his parents, Robert Atherton and Pauline {Packard} Atherton.

Paul attended Arms Academy and was drafted to the U.S. Army. Paul worked for one employer, AGWAY, for over 30 years before retiring from Greenfield Farmers Exchange in 1989 as store manager.

Paul moved to Florida upon retirement; there he worked on Citrus Hills Golf Course for many years.

Besides his parents, he was predeceased by his sister, Susan Atherton.

He is survived by his wife, Corrine G. Atherton; his brother, Lewis Atherton; and sister, Shirley Davis. Paul has two sons, Michael P. Atherton and Raymond R. Atherton; a stepson, Edward Connery (Yvonne); two granddaughters, Felicia Atherton and Megan Milewski (Atherton); seven great grandchildren; and four step-grandchildren; two nephews, Luther Davis, Ethan Davis; and one niece, Katherine Whipple.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to Hernando United Methodist Church in Hernando, FL.