Obituary of Carole A. Gossman

"Carole (McCormack) Gossman, 56, of Jeffrey Lane died at peacefully at her home March 6, 2005 at her home after a courageous battle with a rare form of cancer. Born in Scranton, PA, July 24, 1948 she was the daughter of Donald E. and Barbara (Griffiths) McCormack of Sebring, FL. She moved to the Springfield area in the 1980s, lived in Ludlow for 5 years and has lived in Belchertown for the past 12 years. Carole served as Hospital Administrator for Providence Hospital for the past six years. Previously she was the Director of Psychiatric Services at Charles River West in Chicopee and Noble Hospital in Westfield. She was also the Director of Geriatric Services at American Geriatrics in Hingham, MA. Carole’s commitment to human rights for the mentally ill and elderly brought her to the positions of Chairman of the Board for the Department of Mental Health in Chicopee as well as the former Chairman of the Steering Committee for Massachusetts Council on Aging & Mental Health for Western Mass. She was a champion to the cause and will be missed for her role in that capacity. Besides her parents, she will be deeply missed by her husband of 17 years, David P. Gossman, her great nephew Matthew Curbelo who shared her home, as well as her best friend Karen Harper and her husband Theodore of Florence and an aunt Marjorie Griffiths of Philadelphia, PA. She also leaves another close friend, Sister Teresa Dube of Springfield, to whom she was spiritually connected. Calling hours will be Wednesday, March 9 from 2:00 – 4:00 p.m. and 7:00 – 8:00 p.m. followed by a Service of Celebration at 8:00 p.m. at the Beers & Story Belchertown Funeral Home, 10 Maple Street, (Rte. 202). A liturgy of Christian burial will be held at St. Francis Church on Thursday at 11:00 a.m. followed by burial in Notre Dame Cemetery, South Hadley. Friends and family may gather at the funeral home on Thursday by 10:00 a.m. or meet directly at the church . For those wishing, donations may be made in her memory to either Oncology Unit of Youville Hospital & Rehabilitation Center, 1575 Cambridge Street, Cambridge, MA or Dana Farber Cancer Institute, 44 Binney Street, Boston. "