The Heart That Gives, Gathers”

 

Julia Ann (Heerey) Brocklesby, age 82 of Greenfield died on

Oct. 11, 2017 at The Hospice of Fisher Home in North

Amherst, MA. She was born in Saint Charles (Winona County)

Minnesota on November 26, 1934, a daughter of Michael D.

and Mary M. (Christie) Heerey. She attended local schools

in Mauston, Wisconsin and was a graduate of South Division

High School in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Class of 1952. Once

her children were of school age, Julia continued her

education as an adult at Holyoke Community College,

Westfield State College and Western New England College.

Julie was employed for many years in banking, retiring as a

Vice-President at BayBank at their Springfield

headquarters. She continued her career at SIS Bank before

her final retirement in the 1990’s. Julie was proud to have

mentored many young women and men throughout her time in

the banking industry and stayed in touch with several of

them until the time of her death.

Julie loved living in Greenfield over the past fifteen

years, she enjoyed playing bridge at the Senior Center and

with other friends and had also accumulated over 2500 hours

as a volunteer at the Baystate Franklin Medical Center in

Greenfield. She also enjoyed many other card games, her

reading and writing groups, bird watching, traveling in the

United States, and staying in touch with her great many

friends and family.

Amongst her many other hobbies, Julie also had a great

interest in the history of the Civil War, especially the

history of the First Minnesota Battery in which her

grandfather, William G. Christie and his brothers, were

volunteers. She bought many copies of the book “Brother of

Mine”, a collection of the letters the brothers sent home

from the battlefields and which she gladly shared with

family and friends.

Among her survivors, Julie leaves three children, Laurel

Brocklesby and her wife, Pat Vittum, of Sunderland; Becky

Gauthier and her husband, Art, of Belchertown; and Philip

H. Brocklesby of Northampton; two grandchildren, Nathan

(Devon) Broussard of Turners Falls and Emmi (Todd) Gelinas

of Palmer; two great grandchildren, Kaedyn and Ellisyn;

many nieces, nephews, great nieces and great nephews and a

large extended family and many friends whom she loved

immensely.

Julie was predeceased by her husband, Philip A. Brocklesby,

who died in 2001. They met in 1953 at The Eagles Ballroom

in Milwaukee. They fell instantly and forever in love and

married in July of 1954. Julie and Phil lived in Greenfield

until 1964. They raised their children in Chicopee, MA and

built their retirement dream home in Granby, MA. Phil died

in 2001; Julie has always cherished the many wonderful

years they shared together.

Julie is survived by a sister, Mary Belcher (Mike) of

Reedsburg, WI and was also predeceased by her parents; her

brothers, James (Peggy), John (Loretta), and Morris Heerey;

and her sister, Marguerite Murray (Gene), all of Wisconsin;

her devoted mother and father-in-law, Doris and Harold

Brocklesby; and her beloved sister-in-law, the Rev. Janet

Brocklesby (Lawrence).

A Memorial Gathering to celebrate Julie’s life will be held

at Terrazza at The Country Club of Greenfield, Country Club

Road, Greenfield, MA on Sunday, Nov 19th, from 1:00 to 3:30

pm. Julie was a wonderful woman, very loving, very kind and

a good friend to many. Please join us in celebrating her

life.

Due to severe allergies, the family requests that you not

wear perfumes, colognes, or any scented body products to

this gathering. Internment will be at Riverside Cemetery in

Sunderland, MA, at the convenience of the family.

Memorial contributions may be made to Julia’s favorite

local charities: Warm the Children or Greenfield Senior

Center. To donate to Warm the Children, send a check to:

Warm the Children, c/o The Recorder, P.O. Box 1367,

Greenfield, MA, 01302. To donate to Greenfield Senior

Center, send a check to: Greenfield Senior Center, c/o

Greenfield Council on Aging, Greenfield Senior Center, 54

High Street, Suite 2, Greenfield MA 01301.

Sympathy message available at www.kostanskifuneralhome.com

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 Service Information