Doretta (Smith) Gass

Doretta (Smith) Gass passed away peacefully at home on December 27, 2018 at the age of 84 following a long battle with Parkinson’s Disease.

Doretta was born in Greenfield, MA on August 7, 1934, the daughter of Stuart and Ellen (Bellows) Smith. She attended Greenfield schools, graduating in 1952 from Greenfield High School. After graduation she was employed by Esleck Manufacturing Co. until the birth of her first child in 1960. In 1959 Doretta married Howard (Buz) Gass, also of Greenfield. She was a homemaker until she became the bookkeeper for Buz’s general contracting business, Vincent and Williams, until his retirement in 1989. Buz and Doretta spent most of their married life in the beloved Greenfield home that Buz built, where Doretta continued to live until her death.

Doretta was predeceased by her husband (2006), her sister Beverly Fiske (2011), her sister-in-law Barbara (Gass) Kamins (1981). She is survived by her two daughters, Sandra Wagner of Verbank, NY and Terry Gadomski and her husband Stanley of Whately, MA, her sister Joan Seaburg of Shortsville, NY, her sister-in-law Carolyn (Gass) Barrett of Northfield, MA and several nieces and nephews.

The family wishes to thank the dedicated team of caregivers, who aside from her daughter Terry, include Joyce Renaud, Norma Mackey-Bovat, Rebecca Stanton, Sharon Dean, Janet Marks and many others who contributed so much over the past 8 years. Also, thanks to Hospice of Franklin County for your support.

A private service will be held at Smith Kelleher Funeral Home on January 2, 2019.
In lieu of flowers donations in memory of Doretta can be made to the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research, 344 Grand Central Station, PO Box 4777, New York, NY 10163-4777.

To plant a beautiful memorial tree in memory of Doretta (Smith) Gass, please visit our Tree Store.