WESTFIELD – Christine Mary (Feyre) Dow, age 78, (1946-2024) of Westfield passed away peacefully surrounded by the love and affection of her family on Thursday, November 14th, 2024. She was born in Holyoke on September 18th, 1946, the first daughter of the late Raymond and Mary Gertrude (Sullivan) Feyre.
Christine attended Sacred Heart Grammar School and graduated from Holyoke High School, Class of 1964. After high school, she married her beloved husband William Paul Dow of West Springfield, on November 5th, 1966 and recently celebrated 58 years of marriage. Soon after marrying Bill, they started their family in Westfield. Her lifetime devotion was to her family: her three children William Dow. Jr., Kelley Coen (Chris) and Kathleen Webster (Stephen). She was affectionally called Nana by her four beloved grandchildren: Sullivan and William “Liam” Webster, Margaret and Eleanor Coen. If you were lucky, she caught your ear with tremendous pride boasting about her children and grandchildren’s accolades. Christine was happiest when surrounded by her family and her many siblings. Blessed to treasure her memory are her ten siblings: Kathleen E. Bresnahan, Mary M. Lynch (Art), Raymond H. Feyre (Susan), Thomas C. Feyre (Susan), John J. Feyre, Margaret M. Feyre, James M. Feyre (Gina), Maureen A. Feyre Febonio (Victoria), Robert J. Feyre (Robin), and Michael C. Feyre (Lisa).
Christine was the first for everything in her family. The firstborn, the first to marry, the first to have children and the first to have grandchildren. Her natural maternal instincts were for caring and supporting all. Each of us have felt that special connection through Christine’s special cards, handwritten notes, recipes and photos. She made everyone feel part of the family. The family enjoyed decades of vacationing on the beaches of Old Lyme Shores, Ct., and Echo Lake, Maine, along with family picnics at Look Park and many camping adventures at Tolland State Park. Many fond memories are connected to numerous sporting events and dance performances, especially to the Westfield Youth Hockey program that became her extended family. You knew that Christine was at every hockey game, as you could hear her proudly cheering with her cow bell.
As her children grew, she began her professional career in the Classified Department at the Westfield Evening News. She later became a well-known friendly face in the customer service department at Westfield Gas & Electric where she retired in 2009 after many enjoyable years, where lifelong friendships were made. She was a communicant at St. Mary’s Church in Westfield and very proud of her Irish Catholic heritage. She was often seen in Westfield taking walks on Western Avenue and in Stanley Park or enjoying her guilty pleasure of shopping at TJMaxx (a testament to her always well-prepared ensembles). Her love of her home on Western Ave was celebrated by always flying her American and Irish flags. And her gardens were something to be reckoned with. Many of her family members have plants and flowers at their own homes, sourced from her beautiful gardens. The family enjoyed her special recipes that became staples at any gathering: baked beans, snicker doodles, chocolate chip and M & M cookies, banana bread, and Christmas cutout cookies. Wherever the family gathered, it was an instant celebration simply by the numbers and the memories and stories will be cherished for generations.
Christine was predeceased by her parents Raymond and Mary Feyre and parents-in-law William and Margaret Dow. She was also predeceased by nieces and nephews, David, Laura and Lisa Feyre, her brother-in-law, Shaun P. Bresnahan, and nephews Jamie and Michael Lynch.
She is survived by her sister and brother-in-law, Patricia and James Lynch. She was the proud godmother to her sister Margaret Feyre, her brother Robert Feyre and her niece Mary Ellen Lynch. Affectionately known as Aunty Chris, she leaves behind her eighteen nieces and nephews: Maire-Brighid, Mollie, Sean, Mary Ellen, Maureen, Hayley, Brynn, Rachel, Ryan, Connor, Olivia, Eva, Christopher, Andrew, Michael, Kaitlyn and Shaunna and William Lynch and her eighteen great nieces and nephews: Emma, Jack, Patrick and Liam Tisdell, Francis, Charlotte, Eloise and Harrison Dunn, Kendall and James Gillis, Cullen and Grace Sullivan, and Emilia, Liam and Charlotte Scannell, Kennedy Feyre, Barrett Bresnahan, and Rosalie Feyre and her step-grandchildren, Nikki Luther and Becca Felton.
The Dow family wishes to express their deepest appreciation and gratitude to the staff at Baystate Medical Hospital, Daly 6th Floor Hospice Care for their kindness and their compassionate care. In true Irish spirit, Christine made an “Irish Exit” with only six days post cancer diagnosis in the comfort of hospice care.
Calling hours for Christine will be held on Tuesday, November 19th, 2024 from 4-7 p.m. at Firtion Adams Funeral Service, 76 Broad Street, Westfield, MA. Her funeral mass will be Wednesday, November 20th, 2024 at 9 a.m. at St. Mary’s Church, 30 Bartlett Street, Westfield, MA. Burial will be immediately following in St. Mary’s Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, the Dow family requests that donations be graciously submitted in Christine’s memory to Amelia Park Arena, 21 South Broad Street, Westfield, MA. 01085 or the Stanley Park Partner in Preservation Fund at 400 Western Avenue, Westfield, MA. 01085. In honor of Christine’s love of family, please offer an act of kindness or reconnect with someone you love.
