WESTFIELD – Lynn Sheryl Merithew (1945-2020) of Westfield, MA and Haines City, FL passed from this life on the eve of Saturday, April 18th after a sudden and insurmountable health crisis. Gratefully, she was attended to by the skilled staff at Baystate Medical Center’s ICU during which immediate family were present.
Lynn is survived by: Roger Merithew her husband; Everett Pitts her first husband; Sheryl and Matti Williams her daughter and son-in-law; Robert Pitts her son; Carlene Alex her step daughter and grandchildren Michael Ortiz Merithew, Alexis Merithew and Alivia Williams along with five great grandchildren; Michael and Maria Merithew her stepson and his wife and grandchildren James and Mackenzie Merithew; Gary and Judy Bissonnette her brother and sister-in-law; and numerous nieces and nephews.
Born Lynn Sheryl Bissonnette on January 18, 1945 to Alice (Leclerc) and Albert Bissonnette, she was the third of four children and the only daughter. Her elder brothers Jerry Bissonnette and Dennis Bissonnette are predeceased. Lynn was baptized into the Catholic faith and remained a spiritual person throughout her life. Lynn’s childhood was greatly altered by the death of her father, fostering a resiliency and fortitude that served her well the balance of her years. She had an especially close bond with her mother and, in later years, became caregiver after a debilitating stroke took away her mother’s independence.
Steadfast, loyal, selfless, determined and nurturing, Lynn persevered to be a fully present and powerful force in the lives of those she touched despite numerous personal health challenges. Family focused, with clarity of purpose, she set about instilling inner strength and resolve in her children. Lynn was blessed to have had two marriages exceeding 25 years each. Both of her husbands, men of extraordinary character, remain friends with one another. Her devotion to family and dear friends will remain among her greatest gifts.
A lifelong learner, Lynn read broadly. She enjoyed cooking, gardening, handcrafts, opera and classical music, as well as ballroom dancing, theater, boating, bowling, oil and watercolor painting. She had a voracious appetite for tackling new projects and acquiring new skills. Lynn loved; lobster, marshmallow ‘Peeps’, homemade ice cream, a sincere compliment, an intelligent debate, playing canasta, laughing out loud, Madame Butterfly, Pearl S. Buck, a well styled dress, wearing her hair long, rubies over her garnet birthstone, an impeccably kept house and any excuse to be with her grown children!
Lynn was burdened with a body that could never keep pace with her passionate and indomitable spirit. Her fortitude was legendary; never thwarted, she strove to maintain her quality of life and was full of gratitude for each day granted. Her ability to find the best in each person and situation will be greatly missed.
For online condolences, please visit ForastiereFuneralHome.com whereby private arrangements are being handled. A life celebration will be planned at a later time. For future details, please contact Sheryl Williams at [email protected] or by phone 413-204-2548. Memorial contributions may be made to the Pain Management Center at Brigham and Women’s Faulkner Hospital, Boston, MA. https://www.brighamandwomensfaulkner.org/programs-and-services/pain-clinic/
