Obituary of Elaine Fleurette D'Amours
Elaine Fleurette D’Amours of South Hadley, Massachusetts, died on Friday, January 29th, after having lived a rich and fulfilling life. She was 82.
Elaine was born and came of age in Holyoke, Massachusetts, the daughter of Edna LaPlante D’Amours and Albert D’Amours. The family, with siblings Albert, Janice and Norman, lived on Summer Street, in a tenement that burned to the ground during the rash of fires that erupted in the city in the 1980s. Elaine attended Catholic schools, joined the Girl Scouts (she was Neighborhood Cookie Chairman), volunteered for the Holyoke Hospital Aid Association and Catholic Girls Junior League, and graduated as valedictorian from Precious Blood High School. Launching a lifelong love of music, Elaine studied classical piano, performed in church minstrels, and sang with the Buffalo Bills Barbershop Quartet and The Quarter Notes. Learning, curiosity, music and art were colorful threads of her life.
After high school, she enrolled at Elms College. She left after one year, took a job as a secretary at the Holyoke Chamber of Commerce and married Hermas Fleury. They started a family and into this world in rapid succession came Diane, Ron, Rick and Ann. In the mid-1960s they moved to South Hadley, which became her permanent home. She continued to perform in church musicals and regaled her kids with well-played piano pieces on her baby grand.
With the children raised and finding their own paths, Elaine took a job at Mt. Holyoke College as a secretary for the Director of Planned Giving who became a life-long friend. It wouldn’t be long before she assumed the director role herself, becoming a leader in the planned giving industry, serving on the board of the American Council on Gift Annuities and traveling nationally to promote charitable giving. She built a house in town with a beautiful view of Mt. Tom and, while working and caring for her mother, studied part-time at Mt. Holyoke for 10 years, earning in 2006 her B.A. in Anthropology magna cum laude as well as membership in Phi Beta Kappa, America’s premier academic honor society. She soon retired and was elected to serve as a Town Meeting Member, service she enjoyed greatly. She returned to the stage in 2014 as a cast member in the Black Cat Theater production of “Bye, Bye Birdie.”
Meanwhile, grandchildren and great-grandchildren arrived and delighted her. Her family, including aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces and nephews too many to name, and the close friends who enriched her life, were enduring sources of happiness, pride and support, and provided her greatest joy of all. Gatherings were filled with love, laughter and great food.
Like all lives Elaine’s brought its share of disappointment, loss and trials, including her greatest challenge during the past five-plus years. Throughout, she met these moments with her unique blend of deep analysis, uncertainty, courage, fear, stubbornness and, ultimately, hopefulness. She was often an inspiration, in good times and in bad.
Elaine is survived by a large and loving circle of family and friends, most immediately: her brother Norman and his wife, Helen, of Arlington, Virginia; daughter, Diane Fleming, and her husband, Jeff, of Manhattan, Kansas; son, Ron, and his wife, Alexa, of Farmington, Connecticut; son, Rick, and his wife, Mary Beth, of West Springfield; and daughter, Ann Cook, and her husband, Pete, of East Sandwich; grandchildren, Matt (and wife, Johnna), Kayleen (and husband, Jason), Stephen, Michael, Julia, Thea and Emile; step-grandchildren, Taylor (and husband, Kyle) and Kendall; great-grandchildren, Madelyn, Ellie,
Logan, Penny and Scarlett, and step-great grandson, Griffin. It is the supreme understatement to say that she will be missed.
Elaine’s family is (as was Elaine herself) very grateful to the gifted and caring doctors, nurses, aids and others who treated and supported her, body and soul, especially Dr. Nada Kawar, while at Baystate Health, and her staff; Dr. Susanna Campos, Dr. Ugonma Chukwueke, NP Christina Taubert and everyone at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute; Alison Childs, a visiting nurse who demonstrated exceptional love; and, finally, the doctor, nurses and staff at Seabury Meadows.
Visiting hours will be held on Saturday, February 6, from 2PM to 4:30PM at Beers & Story South Hadley Funeral Home. In lieu of flowers, please contribute generously in Elaine’s memory to your favorite charitable organization.
