Claire Gaj

Obituary of Claire D. Gaj

Granby—Claire D. (Tremblay) Gaj, 88, passed away peacefully at Elaine Center of Hadley on Wednesday, August 24, 2022. She was the daughter of the late Joseph and Lea (Martin) Tremblay. She was born in Chicopee Falls but later moved to Holyoke where she resided for 18 years, then finally moving to Batchelar St in Granby.

Claire graduated from Perpetual Help Grammar School, Precious Blood High School and furthered her education by attending Holyoke Community College. She married Walter Gaj, JR in 1959, living on Batchelar St until 1978, then moved to Taylor St farm which has been owned by the Gaj family since 1943 and is known as Deerview Farm.

She served for several years on Granby School Committee, volunteered in the community, and was the Treasurer of Friends of Granby Elderly. She also served on the board of directors for the Council On Aging and was an avid member of the Red Hat Society.

A dedicated Catholic, Claire was a longtime parishioner of Immaculate Heart of Mary in Granby, volunteering her time to teach CCD, helping with the annual chicken BBQ, and working as co-treasurer for IHM Women’s Club from 2010-2015.

Claire worked for many offices over the years, the most recent at Open Pantry Community Service of Springfield for 10 years, before retiring in July of 1999.

Claire will be dearly missed by all who knew her, including her loving sons, Russell and his wife, Debra with whom she lived with since 2000, her son Alan and his wife, Laura, and Robert and his wife, Sandra; her grandchildren Max Gaj and his wife, Jessica as well as Aaron Gaj, Christopher Gaj, and Angela Gaj; her great-grandchildren, Grace and Harper; her brother, Daniel Tremblay and his wife, Patricia; as well as many extended family members and wonderful friends.

In addition to her parents, Claire is predeceased by her husband, Walter who died October 22, 1999, her grandson Russell Jr who died October 4, 2007, and her two brothers, Francis, who died in 1993 and Donald who died in 2011.

Visitation will be Sunday, August 28, 2022 from 2pm-5pm at Beers & Story South Hadley Funeral Home, 646 Newton Street. Friends and family are invited to gather at the funeral home the following morning, Monday, August 29, 2022 at 9am for a procession to Immaculate Heart of Mary in Granby for Claire’s Mass of Christian Burial which will begin at 10am.

Rite of Committal and Interment to immediately follow in West Street Cemetery, Granby.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to Immaculate Heart of Mary Parish, Remembrance Fund, 256 State St, Granby, MA 01033 or to the Granby Council on Aging, 10 West State St, Granby, MA 01033.

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Sunday
28
August

Visitation

2:00 pm - 5:00 pm
Sunday, August 28, 2022
Beers & Story Funeral Homes, South Hadley
646 Newton Street
South Hadley, Massachusetts, United States
Monday
29
August

Funeral Mass

10:00 am
Monday, August 29, 2022
Immaculate Heart of Mary
256 State St
Granby, Massachusetts, United States

Burial

West Cemetery
West Street
Granby, Massachusetts, United States
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