Roseabell Brassard
Roseabell (Racine) Brassard, 97, of Chicopee, MA, passed suddenly on March 29, 2021. She was born and spent most of her life in Chicopee, a daughter of the late Paul and Cora
Racine.
After graduation from Chicopee High School in 1941, she was employed at the New England Telephone Co. in the Revenue Accounting Department for five years. She worked as a correspondent for the Holyoke Transcript Telegram, covering Chicopee news and was a well-known fashion coordinator and commentator. She wrote “City Life” as a columnist in 1993-94. Retired in 1998 as Administrative Assistant of the Adult Foster Care Program at West Mass ElderCare where she had been employed for 19 years.
For more than 25 years, Mrs. Brassard was involved with the Chicopee Colleen Contest, having served as a judge for two years, moderator and moderator/coordinator in addition to preparing the extensive news releases identifying the colleen contestants and coronation ball information. Mrs. Brassard, with her husband Joseph “Gene” Brassard were the official escorts for the Chicopee Colleen and her court, as they attended the many functions that go hand in hand with the competition.
The recipient of numerous awards, she holds a Merit Award from the Chicopee Council of PTA’s for Outstanding Service; in 1967 was named Outstanding Professional Woman of the city by the Chicopee Business and Professional Women’s Club and was named Woman of the Year by that organization in1968. She was honored by the Department of Massachusetts American Legion in 1972 as recipient of the A.L. Fourth Estate Award for outstanding news coverage of veterans’ activities and community services and in 1975 received a certificate of appreciation for “invaluable services to the C&ROP Regional Nutrition Program.”
She is a past president of the Fairview American Legion Auxiliary Unit 438, as well as the Chicopee Guild of Holy Family League of Charity, Degree of Pocahontas, St. Anthony’s Women’s Bowling League and former officer of the Willimansett P-TA. She was also involved in Cub Scout Pack 424 of the Church of the Nativity as a den mother. She is a member of the Chicopee Falls Woman’s Club, a member of Russ’s Line Dancers, the Fairview Golden Age Club and a member of the Wednesday Afternoon Women’s Pool League. She is a past president of St. Mary’s Guild of St. Mary’s Church and was named Woman of the Year in 1990; is a former member of the Parish Council serving as chairperson from 2003 until 2009, former choir member and currently a Eucharistic Minister commissioned in March 1985 by Bishop Joseph Maguire. She served as an acolyte for parish funerals and is a member of Spiritual Services at Baystate Medical Center and representative to the former Deanery Pastoral Council.
She is the widow of Joseph E. “Gene” Brassard, married for over 50 years. Roseabell is the mother of six children: Marine Major (Ret.) Ronald and his wife, Sandra of Virginia; Douglas and his wife Ilse also of VA; Michael and wife Terrie of OR, Darlene (Brassard) Cortis and her husband, Kevin of MA; Kevin and his wife, Debra of MA and Dr. Marc Brassard and his wife Melissa of Arnold, MD. She also leaves 14 grandchildren: Diana, Sean, Oliver, Simon, Alyssa, Arielle, Lindsay Rose, Joshua, Laura, Sarah, Jeremy, Brianna, Kylie and Delaney. She also leaves three great grandchildren, Sophia Rose, Caleb and Scarlett.
Her family requests that memorial donations be made in her memory to Anne Arundel Medical Center Foundation, 2001 Medical Parkway, Annapolis, MD 21401.