It is with deep sadness that we announce the passing of our beloved wife, mother, sister, grandmother and friend Gwendolyn Keiver-Hewett, 67, of Salem, MA. Wendy passed away on February 3, 2025 after a courageous battle with cancer, leaving behind a profound void in the hearts of those who had the privilege of knowing her.

Wendy was an extraordinary woman whose strength, warmth, and unwavering love touched the lives of everyone around her. She will be lovingly remembered by her husband Thomas Hewett; her children, Sadie Barlow (husband Kevin), and Tyler VanVeghten; and her grandchildren Emma, Liam and Olivia. She is also survived by her sisters Pam Rodgers, Nancy Goodrow (husband Patrick), Patti Heintzelman (husband Webb); her stepchildren Danny (wife Kara) and Rob, and grandchildren Molly, Ryan, Dylan and Cody. Wendy will be deeply missed by her many nephews, aunts, uncles, cousins and dear friends.

Wendy is joined in rest by her parents Pat and Bob Keiver along with many other loved ones that were part of her life. Her family, both by blood and heart, was vast, reflecting the deep connections she fostered and the unwavering love she shared.

Among Wendy’s most significant accomplishments was raising her two children and later, her grandchildren, instilling in them kindness, resilience and determination. Family was at the center of her world and she dedicated herself to ensuring their happiness. She began her career in the Marblehead Public Schools, transitioning into computers and technology at Salem State University, and ultimately pursued her true passion as a Massage Therapist, where her healing energy shined.

Beyond being a mother, Wendy was a devoted wife, sister, and friend. Her laughter, wit, generosity, and vibrant spirit filled every room. She formed lifelong friendships, many of which began in childhood and continued through her deep connection with Fleur de Lis camp for girls. Whether playing sports, attending Green Mountain College, working at the Beach Club or playing softball, Wendy brought joy and camaraderie to every experience. She was always ready with a bit of mischief and an unwavering offer of support.
She cherished her time at Squam Lake, loved visiting beaches on the Northshore, and enjoyed watching storms, supporting small local restaurants, and driving her jeep with the top down. Her love of beaches and new adventures found her swimming in Greece, Hawaii, and French Polynesia. She had an unmatched sweet tooth and was in charge of bringing desserts and her iconic banana bread to every holiday gathering. Wendy’s dogs Max, Marley and Finn were more than pets, each with their own personality but sharing equal adoration for her as their “person.”

A passionate sports enthusiast, Wendy approached life with the same energy and passion that she brought to every game. Whether cheering from the sidelines or participating herself, her enthusiasm for sport and competition was infectious. She taught us all the importance of strength – not only physically but emotionally – facing life’s challenges with unwavering resilience and grace.

Wendy’s legacy of love, strength and spirit will continue to live on in the hearts of her family, friends, and all who knew her. A service to honor Wendy’s life will be held on February 21st at 10:30 AM at Old North Church in Marblehead, MA.

While we will miss Wendy dearly, we take comfort in knowing that her love and light will continue to guide us always. In Lieu of flowers please consider making a donation to the Kaplan Hospice House in Danvers, MA or Fleur de Lis Camp for girls in Fitzwilliam, NH.

Christopher J. Simard, 67, of Candler, North Carolina, died at home February 14, 2025 after a prolonged illness. Born March 26, 1957 in South Hadley, Massachusetts, Chris was the beloved son of Paul E. Simard and Allyene P. Simard and cherished sibling to Paul Simard, Peter Simard, Jane Simard, and Jonathan Simard.

Chris was known for his big heart and his passion for music, the Blues in particular, and in his younger days was a regular fixture in the Asheville music scene, often welcomed on stage by national acts to add his considerable skills on the blues harp to their show.

Chris graduated from Williston Northampton School, and attended University of North Carolina at Asheville.

Chris is pre-deceased by parents Paul and Allyene, and brother Paul, and survived by siblings Peter, Jane, and Jonathan, and his many dear friends in the Asheville community.

Rest in peace dear brother, you will be missed.

Lucía Núñez, a Cuban American educator, community activist and LGBTQ+ pioneer, died on September 30, 2024, in Madison, Wisconsin.

Lucía was born January 3, 1960, in Cuba and left with her family in 1965. At age 16, Lucia went to boarding school in Easthampton, Massachusetts. She studied political science at Connecticut College and international education at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst.

In 1985, she joined the Peace Corps to support women, children, and schools in Honduras, and continued advocating for immigrant youth while working at Stanford University. After scouting locations from Oregon to New York, Lucía relocated her family to Wisconsin in 1999. At the time, the Hispanic population of Dane County was seeing triple-digit growth, with little to no infrastructure in place to provide culturally competent support. She joined Centro Hispano as executive director. She also served as deputy director of the Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development, administrator of the State of Wisconsin Equal Rights Division, and the first director of the City of Madison Department of Civil Rights. She marched at Madison’s Latino immigrant rallies and was featured in Somos Latinas: Voices of Wisconsin Latina Activists, published by the Wisconsin Historical Society Press. From 2016 until her retirement, she was the vice president of equity, inclusion, and community engagement at Madison Area Technical College.

Lucía is survived by Heidi Vargas, her wife of 35 years, and their two children, Carina Vargas-Nuñez, and Mateo Vargas-Nuñez.

To read the complete obituary please visit Wisconsin LGBTQ History Project and to make a memorial donation to the Lucía Núñez Becas (Scholarship) Program please visit Centro Hispano of Dane County.

Alicia Lee du Pont, of Mendham, NJ died peacefully on June 25, 2024 in Morristown, NJ after a courageous battle with cancer.

She was born in Wilmington, DE and raised in Bernardsville and Morristown, NJ and New York, NY. She loved animals and devoted her career to working in veterinary medicine in both Orlando, FL, and northern New Jersey.

Alicia is survived by her parents, Dulcinea L. Green of Mendham, NJ and Peter R. du Pont of New York, NY; her sisters, Nichol du Pont of Mendham, NJ and Laura R. du Pont of New York, NY; and her brothers, Peter T. du Pont of Bangkok, Thailand, Scott T. du Pont of North Hollywood, CA and Andrew R. du Pont of New York, NY.

February 4, 1968 – July 7, 2024

Gilbert Booker Dillard III, a native of Springfield, MA was born February 4, 1958, at 5:14pm. He was the first and oldest son of Opal Jean Gray and Gilbert Booker Dillard Jr., two first generation college students who met and fell in love at Central State University in Wilberforce, OH. Gilbert was born in Newburgh, NY and spent the first few years of his life in Oklahoma before his family migrated to Massachusetts for work, income, education and to live the American dream. Gilbert was raised in Western MA but spent most summers during his youth in Oklahoma assisting grandparents and great grandparents with siblings and cousins. Thanksgiving dinners were spent with family in Newburgh, New York.

Most who knew Gilbert would describe him as charismatic and smart. He was known for having intellectual and stimulating conversations with family and friends who recognized his gifted brilliance. He graduated from Williston Northampton School in Easthampton, MA and briefly attended Quinnipiac University in Hamden, CT before embarking on military service with the United States Army. In January 1977 Gilbert enlisted in the armed services as an Army Nuclear Weapons Maintenance Specialist 55G MOS and was stationed in Germany with 9th Ordinance Company, Miesau Army Depot, West Germany. As part of the NATO Defense under the command of the late General Colin Powell, former United States Secretary of State, he excelled and performed his duty to his country with honor until May 1984.

Gilbert served as an operational clerk maintaining stock, records, accounts and reports on nuclear materials, repairs and inspections of weapons. His knowledge of logistics, safety and compliance was consistently recognized and acknowledged during his tenure until his honorable discharge in 1984.

Gilbert Booker Dillard III compassionately served God, Country, Family and Community. After his military service he worked in Finance as a mortgage loan officer for several Maryland based companies. He ultimately relocated back to Springfield, MA and volunteered for projects with University of Massachusetts Medical School and Bay State Health. He was loved by many and is survived by daughters Gennea and Tianna, mother Opal Dillard, sisters Bonita and Dorothy, brothers Goren ’80 and Gravin. He will certainly be missed.

It is with great sadness that we announce the sudden death of Varick M. Warren of Warwick, NY on February 1, 2024.
Varick was born September 15, 1960, in Douglaston, NY to Marjory Ann (nee Thomas) Warren and the late Douglas James Warren of Warwick, NY. He lived in Douglas Manor, NY until age 12 when his family moved to Manhattan. He attended Waldorf School in Garden City, NY and New Lincoln school in Manhattan, NY and graduated from Williston Northampton School in Easthampton, MA where he played on the ice hockey team. He was a great player and still played multiple times a week in Newburgh, NY, until his passing, and of course was a huge Rangers fan. Varick was an active member of the Ultimate Advantage weightlifting community, spending multiple days per week supporting and mentoring others. Varick loved Fire Island where he spent most of his childhood summers and continued to vacation there every summer. There he flourished, going fishing, body surfing, and sailing, among a few hobbies while developing lifelong friendships which he cherished dearly.
Varick had an accomplished career beginning on Wall Street back in the 1980’s. Eventually he transitioned into the produce industry where he excelled for over 30 years. Most recently he was Chief Operating Officer at Solata Foods, Newburgh, NY. He was an innovator and an esteemed fixture in the industry, always thinking ahead and developing new products. He was highly respected by his colleagues and co-workers. He had a huge heart and was known for offering opportunities to so many.
Varick was charismatic, generous, and knew how to make others laugh. He was a kind, big hearted man, who was always there to help those in need. He will be sorely missed by all who knew him.
Varick was a very loved husband, son, father, brother, uncle, and friend, of which he had many. Varick is survived by his two children, Mckenzie and Molly Warren; his loving wife, Neide Vera; her four children: Amanda, Kimberly, Maria, and Anna Vera and their children: Alan Vera, Sophia Rajos, and Penelope Reales; his mother, Marjory Warren; two sisters, Shaun Bangert and Andrea (Oney) Huffman; and his cat, Kitty.
Visitation will be on Tuesday, February 6, 2024, from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m. with a funeral service at 6:00 p.m. at Lazear-Smith & Vander Plaat Memorial Home, 17 Oakland Avenue, Warwick, NY.
In lieu of flowers, please reach out to Mckenzie Warren (mckenzie.j.warren@gmail.com) to support the creation of a scholarship fund in his name.

James “Jim” Arthur Hardy passed away at home surrounded by family in the early morning hours of January 31, 2024. Jim is survived by his wife of 40 years June (Egan) Hardy, his mother Joan (Zielny) Hardy, his son Wesley Hardy ’04 and daughter-in-law Shelly, his brother John “Jack” Hardy ’71 and sister-in-law Kathy, and many nieces and nephews. An Easthampton native born July 10, 1956, James was known for his wit, and dry sense of humor. He graduated Cum Laude from The Williston Northampton School earning a medal in wrestling and went on to study art at UMASS under John Grillo. A lifelong recreational fisherman introduced to the sport by his grandfather Alexander Zielny, James maintained maps of the “best spots” both new and old. A job as a bank teller in his youth expanded into a thirty-year career in the securities industry, affording him the ability to create an at-home art studio later in life. His works have been on display in multiple local exhibitions; and fill his family’s homes. Donations can be made to The Hospice Foundation of America.

Calling hours will be Monday, February 5, 2024 from 3:30 to 6:30 pm at the Czelusniak Funeral Home. The funeral service will be held Tuesday at the St. Elizabeth Ann Seton’s Annunciation Chapel, Beacon St. in Florence, MA at 10 am.

Raymond O. Bernard, 65, entered Eternal Life on October 5, 2023, with his family at his side after a brief illness. He was born April 19, 1958, in Holyoke to the late Raymond O. and Rita (Guertin) Bernard. Ray (known as Rusty in his younger years due to his red hair) grew up in Chicopee and attended Williston Academy. He then earned a Bachelor of Science Business Administration Degree in Finance from Northeastern University in 1982. Ray worked for Bank of Boston, Ann & Hope and the Toyota Corporation. Always having an interest in health care, he became a registered nurse with an Associate Degree in Nursing from Springfield Technical Community College in 1993. Ray worked briefly at Baystate Medical Center before his 20-year career working as a correctional head nurse for the State of Connecticut Department of Corrections where he retired in 2013. He was awarded several Gubernatorial Citations for Preservation of Life in 1995, 2003, 2004, and 2005 and Circle of Merit in 2004 and 2005.
He was predeceased by his infant daughter Elizabeth M. Bernard in 1994 and his sister Michele R. (Bernard) Asselin in 2021. He is survived by his devoted wife of 31 years Margaret E. (Kelleher) Bernard and his loving son Nicholas R. Bernard. Also saddened by his loss are his sister’s children Mathieu R. Asselin of Somers, CT and Margaux R. Lamirande of South Hadley and his brothers-in-law Richard W. Asselin and Timothy J. Kelleher of South Hadley and Patrick J. Kelleher of Marshfield MA and many cousins, nieces and nephews.
Ray was immensely proud of his family and their achievements. He was very sociable with a generous heart and had a way of making others feel special. He had wonderful memories and experiences with sports and scouting and passed on his enthusiasm and knowledge to many by his involvement with coaching youth sports and scout leadership. In his retirement Ray enjoyed travel and cruises with his family and a treasured trip to Ireland where he had hoped to return.
An uncle introduced “Rusty” to fishing as a young boy, and this developed into a passion that only grew through the years. He became an avid fisherman and enjoyed many vacations in Maine where fishing rarely disappointed. Locally he treasured Quabbin Reservoir in his retirement. Great Pond in Maine was truly his happy place and he had returned from a month at Bear Spring Camps just two weeks prior to his illness. He was proud to recently have a trophy fish (with a story to match) mounted and displayed there securing his legacy.
Calling hours will be Wednesday October 11th from 4:00 to 7:00pm at the O’Brien Family Funeral Home, 33 Lamb St., South Hadley. Funeral Mass will be Thursday October 12th at 11:00 am in St. Patrick’s Church. For more information or to make online condolences please go to obrienfamilyfh.com. In lieu of flowers Ray would be happy to have any contributions go to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.