Obituary of Russell Francis Gaj

"Russell F. “Big Russ” Gaj, Jr. of Taylor St., died Thursday as a result of a motor vehicle accident in Granby. Born in Holyoke, July 9, 1983, he was the son of Russell and Debra (Sowell) Gaj, with whom he lived at Deer View Farm in Granby. Russ has lived in Granby all of his life and was a graduate of Granby High School. He worked as a heavy equipment operator for Bradway Construction in Ludlow for several years. An outdoorsman, he enjoyed hunting and fishing, and was also well known as a “tinkerer” as he worked on and fixed anything with wheels. Besides his parents, he will be deeply missed by his grandparents, Claire (Tremblay) Gaj and James and Margaret Sowell all of Granby, along with his brother Christopher and sister Angela, both at home. He also leaves numerous aunts, uncles, cousins and friends. Calling hours will be Tuesday, October 9 from 4:00 – 7:00 p.m. at the Beers & Story S. Hadley Funeral Home, 646 Newton St., (Rte. 116). A service to remember his life will be Wednesday at 11:00 a.m. at Beers & Story S. Hadley Funeral Home with burial in West Cemetery, Granby. For those wishing, donations may be made in his memory to either Granby Police Assoc. or Granby DARE, 194 W. State St., or Granby Firefighters Assoc, 250 State St, Granby, 01033. "