WESTFIELD – Barbara (Taudel) Briggs, 87, died Friday, January 25, 2013 at home, surrounded by her loving family. She was born in Westfield on March 20, 1925 to the late Felix and Pauline (Macierowski) Taudel.She grew up in Westfield and attended local schools. Barbara was a punch press operator at Anderson & Son’s in Westfield and retired in 1986. She was a member of the Westfield Y.M.C.A., she enjoyed her bike rides and walking her dogs every day on Western Avenue and at Stanley Park. Barbara’s greatest enjoyment came from caring for and spending time with her family.
Barbara was predeceased by her husband, Charles H. Briggs in 1998. She leaves her daughters, Deborah A. Rines, Susan M. Bishop and Joyce K. Shea all of Westfield; her grandchildren, Christine Rines-Svallin and her husband Jonas, Kelly King and her husband Jason, Celina Collier and her husband Jeffrey, Amy Bishop and Rich and Dana Bishop and his wife Jill. Barbara also leaves her great-grandchildren Skyler and Brooke Bishop, Karl and Olivia Svallin and Anders King; her sisters, Sylvia Sklarski and her husband Stanley of Westfield and Eleanor Guerri of Springfield and her beloved dog Jack. Barbara’s family would especially like to thank John Christenbury Fiancee of Susan Bishop for his dedication and devotion to Barbara and the special care he gave. The family would also like to thank Barbara’s caregivers Kathie Schultz, Erin Masters, Nancy Zucco and Dr. Arley Diaz and staff at the Chicopee Dialysis Center in Chicopee.
The funeral for Barbara will be held on Tuesday, January 29th at 9:30 a.m. from the Firtion-Adams Funeral Service, 76 Broad Street, Westfield followed by a Liturgy of Christian Burial at 10:30 a.m. in St. Mary’s Church. Burial will follow in St. Mary’s Cemetery. Calling hours will be held at the funeral home on Monday from 4:00-7:00 p.m. Donations in memory of Barbara may be made to the Noble VNA and Hospice, 77 Mill Street, Westfield, MA 01085, or to Grandmothers Garden, P.O. Box 1432, Westfield, MA 01086-1432.
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