WESTFIELD – Phyllis L. (Paradysz) Oleksak, 83, of Westfield, died Saturday at home. She was born in Springfield to Louis and Sophie Paradysz and lived all of her life in Westfield.
Phyllis was a 1948 graduate of Westfield High School, a 1952 graduate of Westfield State Teachers College, and received a Master of Education degree from Westfield State College in 1972. She was happily employed as a devoted school teacher for the City of Westfield for 36 years, retiring in 1993. She taught at Mosley, Old Franklin, New Franklin, Juniper Park, Smith Ave., and Papermill Schools. Phyllis also volunteered at Genesis Spiritual Life Center in Westfield and at Heritage State Park in Holyoke, where she worked on the train, in the Children’s Museum, and on the merry-go-round. She also taught English as a second language. Her interests included reading, travel, shopping, the arts, and watching the Red Sox, the Celtics, and tennis. She had a wonderful smile, loved her animals, and truly enjoyed meeting and talking with adults and children alike. She was predeceased by her husband, John in 2001 and her step-daughter Sharon Oleksak of Florida in 2013.
She is survived by two daughters; Wendy Sheldon and her husband Timothy of Westfield, Marcy Oleksak and her fiancee Daniel Benoit of Westfield; her sister, Eleanor Niedbala of Hadley; her grandson, Nicolas John Sheldon; two step-grandsons, Sheen and Seth Benoit; a sister-in-law, Elizabeth Oleksak and a brother-in-law, Richard Oleksak both of Westfield.
Calling hours will be on Sunday, November 10th at Firtion-Adams Funeral Service, 76 Broad Street, Westfield, MA. from 2:00-4:00 p.m. The burial will be private.
In lieu of flowers donations may be made to The Animals of Genesis Spiritual Life & Conference Center, 53 Mill Street, Westfield, MA. 01085 or The Westfield Atheneum, 6 Elm Street, Westfield, MA. 01085.
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