Westfield – Bernadette K. (Kasheta) Gove, 89, (1929 – 2018) passed away peacefully surrounded by her family on Thursday, January 18, 2018 at Armbrook Village. She was born in Brooklyn, NY to the late Dr. Francis J. and Bernadette B. (Sasner) Kasheta. Bernadette was a 1946 graduate of Plymouth H.S. in New Hampshire and received her bachelor in Business Administration from Boston University in 1948. She was employed by the Westfield District Court as a Head Procedures Clerk, Administrative Assistant to the justices; Judge Arthur T. Garvey, Judge Andrew Anderson, Judge Philip A. Contant and Judge Sidney A. Cooley, she was also the Administrative Assistant to George D. Hammond and retired in 1993. Bernadette was a communicant of St. Mary’s church, and a member of the Greater Westfield Zonta Club, Greater Westfield Red Cross Board Member and Tau Chi Omega Society. She was predeceased by her beloved husband Donald L. Gove in 2003 and her son Donald L. Gove in 2007, and son-in-law Ray Fortier in 1988. She is survived by her loving daughters, Frances J. Stefanowich and her husband Stanley of Westfield and Susan J. Fortier of Stamford, NY, a sister Frances M. Currier of Warren, NH, her cherished grandchildren, Michael Stefanowich and his wife, Stacy and Kristen Ritchie and her husband Todd and three great grandchildren, Maddox, Quinn and Nolan and two loving nieces, Bernadette Dupont and Ann Parisi. . Her funeral will be held on Wednesday at 8:15 AM from the Firtion Adams FS, 76 Broad St. Westfield, followed by a Mass at 9:15 AM in St. Mary’s Church, Bartlett St. Westfield. Burial will follow in the Massachusetts Veterans Memorial Cemetery, Main St. Agawam. Visiting hours will be held on Tuesday from 4-7PM in the funeral home.
A special thank you to Kathee McEwan and the staff at Armbrook Village for their understanding and support, and to Karen, Michelle and Diane Berard at Providence Hospital and staff at Ascend Hospice. Donations in Bernadette’s name may be directed to Ascend Hospice 100 Locke Dr. Marlborough, MA 01752. www.firtionadams.com
