Julia Ann (Heerey) Brocklesby
November 26, 1934 ~ October 11, 2017 (age 82) 82 Years OldShare using:
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