Published: 9/11/2022 8:12:03 PM
Below is a selection of some of the people honored at Saturday’s COVID-19 memorial ceremony. This selection of obituaries were compiled by Marked by COVID.
Frederick Harris
Frederick Harris grew up in Amherst and later moved to Northampton. He was scouted by the Red Sox in 1968 but was drafted to Vietnam in 1969. He proudly served his country for two years in the Army. He was married to his wife Judy for 49 years. Fred worked at the UMass Power Plant for many years, became the “Mail Guy” around campus, and drove the shuttle around, making many new friends along the way.
Pamela Bonzek Bates
Pamela Bonzek Bates was born in Greenfield. She was a wife and mother of two girls. Pamela was fascinated by sea turtles and loved her Yorkie, Bella; she always had several sewing, knitting, or crochet projects in the works. She loved learning and graduated Magna Cum Laude from college at 64. Pamela was a dedicated director of a program for people over 60 through her local Council on Aging. She was active in her church and had been a well-loved Girl Scout leader. She died the day after her 67th birthday in the hospital of COVID.
Philip W. Boisseau
Philip W. Boisseau, of Southampton, was an avid outdoorsman with a true passion for spending his time in the woods. Besides hunting, Phil loved fishing, truck pulling, demo derby, and tinkering on vehicles in the horse barn. Phil was a hard worker and proud of his business, Country Sealcoating. All his family and friends miss him: his parents, wife, three young children, and quite possibly his best friend, his chocolate lab Duke.
Giada ‘Gigi’ Rodriguez
Giada “Gigi” Rodriguez, 13, of Holyoke, is remembered for her beaming smile and contagious laughter. Her aunt said Gigi was an old soul, she loved music, sang beautifully, she was bougie, she liked fashion, she was very intelligent, book smart but a deep thinker. Gigi is missed by everyone lucky enough to know her.
Kristin Marie Whalen
Kristin Marie Whalen, 30, of Sunderland, was a beautiful, ambitious young woman. She was thoughtful, caring, and humble, with a bright smile and blueberry eyes. She enjoyed hikes with her dog, gardening, cooking, baking, reading, and feeding birds. She was the office manager at Connecticut Valley Oral Surgeons in Amherst.
James “Jim” Edward Humphreys
James “Jim” Edward Humphreys of Northampton was a retired Professor Emeritus in Mathematics at UMass Amherst. Influenced by his experience growing up as a gay man in the 1950s, Jim became an active leader, donor, and supporter of LGBTQ rights and organizations. He helped open his field to future generations by working to establish visible recognition for LGBTQ mathematicians through SPECTRA. Jim loved to listen to classical music, particularly baroque.
John Pope
John Pope, 53, was a lifelong resident of Haydenville. He was an essential worker who worked as a certified nursing assistant at a nursing home in Northampton for more than a decade. John grew up across the street from the Williamsburg Fire Department, where he volunteered as a firefighter for 24 years. He loved Civil War history, cooking, sports, and the Beatles.
Frances Borden Hubbard
Frances Borden Hubbard was a brilliant African American public health activist who worked for social justice throughout her life. She worked as a public health official for the city of Springfield, MA, at one point serving as its HIV/AIDS director in the 1990s. She spent more than 20 years improving the health of Springfield residents, especially adolescents, as a part of the Springfield Adolescent Health Program.
