Sample obits

On a bright bluebird day, Karen Faur Passaro hiked a mountain. Let’s say she was 26 or 62. At the top—the good part—breathing hard, alive in her body, she threw her arms wide, saying this day will be a memory. The palmier at a bakery …read more

Robert Girard Sabato, Jr. leaves a legacy of connections—ripples of his generosity, compassion, and expertise throughout Western Massachusetts. And let’s not forget levity and honesty; he would not want us to take things too seriously or to leave out the human stuff here. Known as …read more

The formidable Willis Donald Henry, known as Don to some, Hank to others, and Hop Pop to his grandchildren, died October 13 in Roaring Gap, North Carolina, from complications of dementia. He was 97. Hank was a man of deep intelligence, integrity, and humility. He …read more

Jean Passaro, a cheerful matriarch who worked hard and lovingly at everything she did, died October 3 in Coeur d’Alene of complications from dementia. A longtime Wood River Valley resident, she was 89 and loved her children and grandchildren as much as she was beloved …read more

Julia King McFarland was a mother of nine and a matriarch in every sense of the word. Nurturing the members of her large family, doing herself what many parents today might outsource, she created waves of opportunities for everyone she loved. A resident of Natchez, …read more

A lifelong tenderheart and lover of fun, Kathy Jo “Toni” Hammer was just weeks away from her sixtieth birthday when she died of heart failure November 3, 2020. She leaves behind a heartbroken partner, two beloved (i.e., spoiled) cats, and many loved ones who will …read more