William D. Clark Jr. ’53

William “Bill” Clark Jr. of South Windsor, CT, formerly of Enfield and East Windsor, died on September 5, 2020 at Saint Francis Hospital. Bill was born in New Haven on December 18, 1934, to the late William Clark Sr. and Gertrude (Stocking) Clark. Most of his youth was spent in Windsor. He went to junior and senior high at Williston Academy (now known as the Williston Northampton School) and graduated in 1953. He graduated from Bates College in 1957 and then served in the Army Reserves. Bill was an English teacher at East Windsor High School for 23 years and then ran a computer lab there for 12 years. He retired from the school system in 1994. After a few months, he joined the IT department at the Dexter Company (now known as Ahlstrom) in Windsor Locks. He retired from Ahlstrom in 2005.
Bill was kind, gentle and generous. His brother-in-law, Dick Kowalsky, wrote a beautiful reflection of Bill’s life which says a great deal about him: “Bill could be a quiet sort of guy. I noticed that he used his ears more than his mouth. I’d say, a good example for us all. One of his passions was minerals, especially those which were rare or had a gem-like quality. Besides being a rockhound, Bill was a hound for life. He was interested in many things but spent a great amount of energy as a family man and high school teacher where he spent much of his professional life. Bill had a special gift for relating to young people and had a positive impact on many of them. Many times, as I walked in town with him, we would encounter someone who knew him, several were former students. I was always amazed at how well-known Bill was in the community. Bill’s love for minerals led him to learn how to make fine jewelry and he and Evelyn had a jewelry business for several years. His creative eye also was expressed in photography. His photos exhibited fine composition and were exhibited throughout his home. He had a zest for food and when he was not in his craft shop, he could be found in the kitchen making wonderful daily meals for his family and guests. His son, Billy, is carrying on the culinary talent. Bill could turn prose into poetry. When I read some of his work, I experienced many emotions, a sign of his gift to see the world in ways unseen by others yet touching senses I could identify with. Beyond his personal interests, Bill had an abiding passion for social justice. Along with Evelyn, he was quick to become involved with local and international issues. Once when they were visiting my family in North Carolina, we told them about a local protest regarding a job-related issue associated with the father of a friend. They immediately said, ‘Let’s go support that.’ Bill’s focus on the needs and concerns of others was a good example for everyone. Bill made the best of life as a son, husband, father, grandfather, and friend to many people. He loved everyone and left the world a better place because he lived in it. God speed Bill. It was great to know you.”
Bill was compiling his writing into a book when he became ill. His daughter, Marie will complete it for him. Bill is survived by his wife of almost 62 years, Evelyn (Vezina) Clark of South Windsor; daughter, Marie Clark of South Windsor; son, William Clark III of Hamburg, New Jersey; granddaughters, Leidi Clark and Flor Clark of South Windsor. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at Saint Patrick – Saint Anthony Church, 285 Church St., Hartford, on Saturday, September 19, at 10:30 a.m. Please observe Covid 19 precautions. The funeral mass will also be live-streamed. You may use the following link: https://venue.streamspot.com/event/MjMzJDAyMQ
Burial will be private. Ample free parking is available in the Saints’ Lot across the street from the church. Memorial donations may be made to Doctors Without Borders, P.O. Box 5030, Hagerstown, MD 21741, or online: donate.doctorswithoutborders.org.; or Franciscan Center for Urban Ministry, 285 Church St., Hartford, CT.

Paula Burgee Gallup ’49

On September 6, 2020, the world lost an amazing woman. Paula Gallup was a truly special person, who embodied kindness and grace in the way she lived her life. As a mother, grandmother, great grandmother and friend, she will be dearly missed by everyone who had the pleasure of knowing her. Paula loved her family and is survived by her husband of 69 years, John G. Gallup, her daughter, Susan G. Purdy and son-in-law, Robert Purdy, her daughter Paula Ingalls and late son-in-law, Darrell Ingalls, her son, Bruce Gallup and daughter-in-law, Lindy Gallup. In addition, she leaves behind six grandchildren, Cliff Purdy (Trisha Purdy), Kristin Blanchard (Steve Blanchard), Ross Purdy, Heather Collins (Dennis Collins), Jonathan Gallup and Holland Gallup and two great grandchildren, Deighton and Arlo Blanchard.
Paula was born on September 10, 1931 in Holyoke, Massachusetts to Marcelle and Henry Burgee and grew up in close-knit family with her late sister, Maria Burgee Dwight ’52. She attended Northampton School for Girls (now The Williston-Northampton School) and Mount Holyoke College, leaving after two years to marry John, a graduate of Dartmouth College. For 32 years she raised her family and pursued the volunteer and civic work she loved, including teaching Sunday school, running a church fair, serving as Assistant Girl Scout Leader and Assistant Cub Scout Den Mother. She was an active member of the Junior League for 20 years and a sustaining member for 15 years. During that time, she volunteered in the thrift shop, trooped with puppets to hospitals and children’s agencies, served as Concert Series Program Chair, Concert Series General Chair, Hospitality Chair and Advertising Co-chair for the Follies (musical). In addition, she served as a United Way representative for the West Springfield Boys and Girls Club. Over the course of 20 years, Paula was a hospital volunteer, member of the hospital auxiliary and served on auxiliary boards. She also worked as a volunteer at Wesson Women’s Hospital at the front desk, in the hospital coffee shop, as co-chair and buyer for the gift shop and as hostess in the ICU waiting room. She also held board positions: Membership Chair, Corresponding Secretary, Recording Secretary and President of the Baystate Medical Center Auxiliaries. Paula served as a docent at the Springfield Museum of Fine Arts and on the Springfield School Volunteers Advisory Council in a variety of capacities. She served as a volunteer for Chestnut Knoll, Stage West, the Springfield Mount Holyoke Club, Women’s Symphony League and the Longmeadow Women’s Republican Club.
In 1983, Paula returned to Mount Holyoke College through the Frances Perkins Program earning a Bachelor of Arts degree in Religion. She continued her studies at Hartford Seminary and received her Master of Divinity from Andover-Newton Theological Seminary, after which she served for 9 years at St. Andrews Episcopal Church in Longmeadow as a Lay Pastoral Assistant providing compassionate guidance and support to senior members of the congregation. She established a Eucharistic Visitor Program, a prayer and study group, a monthly Lunch Bunch Group, and organized an 80 year+ celebratory tribute party, a job she truly loved. Paula was also a Eucharistic Minister and Lector. She was deeply involved in the Hatikvah Education Center and was a devoted member of the Cosmopolitan Club.
Paula and John loved to travel and visited many wonderful places in the world including England, Africa, Europe, Australia and New Zealand. More recently, Paula loved spending time at home surrounded by the people and things she loved.
A memorial service to celebrate Paula’s incredible life will be scheduled at a later date. Her arrangements have been entrusted to Forastiere Smith Funeral Home, 220 North Main St. East Longmeadow.

Diane Warner Wojtowicz ’52

Diane Linda (Warner) Wojtowicz passed away peacefully in her sleep on August 28, 2020. Born June 29, 1934 in New York, the daughter of the late James Warner and Mary (Zywar) Warner, as a child she grew up in the Bronx, NY and Easthampton, MA. She attended St. Michael’s High School and the Northampton School for Girls. She had a lifelong love of dancing and met her soulmate, Clarky Wojtowicz, at a Chicopee dance in 1954. They married in 1955 and together owned and operated multiple businesses in Chicopee over the next 30 years, including Clarky’s, Market Square and The Kendall. In 1984, they purchased Wyckoff Country Club in Holyoke, which they and their family owned and operated for 36 years. Those close to her will miss her love of children and animals, her unexpectedly bursting into song, and especially her laugh. She famously “never let the truth get in the way of a good story” and would happily regale anyone with many tales about her and her husband’s lives in the service industry or her childhood. The last years of her life were spent in well earned retirement in Marco Island cared for by her daughter Tami. She is predeceased by her parents, stepfather (Francis “Frannie” Wodicka), and her husband Clarence “Clarky” Wojtowicz. She is survived by her four children: Lynn Stebbins and her husband Kenneth of Belchertown, Clark Wojtowicz of Chicopee, Tami Kelley and husband Tony of Marco Island, FL; and Jay Wojtowicz and his wife Caroline of Easthampton. She also leaves 9 grandchildren (Amy, Mark, Kris, Grant, Brooke, Paige, Kyle, Hunter, Lucas), 4 great-grandchildren (Graham, Thaddeus, Grayson, and Kimber), many former employees who became family (Linda), and cousins with whom she kept in close touch. In lieu of flowers donations can be made to the National Multiple Sclerosis Society or St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. A celebration of life will take place at a future date.