GRANVILLE – Mary Ellen (Heiden) Billings Woodell, 80, of Granville, formerly of Southwick and Port Charlotte, FL, died early Thursday afternoon, January 30, 2014 at Noble Hospital in Westfield. She was born and educated in Springfield, a daughter of the late William and Eva (DuBois) Heiden.Mary Ellen took great pride in being a loving mother. She was a Boys Scouts Den Mother, a pioneering volunteer for The Special Olympics, member of the Southwick American Legion Auxiliary Post 338, as well as an avid library patron and volunteer. Along with playing with cards at family gatherings, she enjoyed local Pitch leagues and the New England Sports Teams, especially the Boston Red Sox. At the age of 50, Mary Ellen proudly returned to school and became employed for 15 years as a pharmacist technician at the Medicine Shoppe in Port Charlotte, from which she retired in 1999.
She was the devoted wife of the late Peter D. Woodell who died in January of 2000 and the former wife of Donald K. Billings who died in January 2013. Mary Ellen leaves seven children, Michael Billings and his longtime companion Deborah Kosko of Bristol, CT, Patricia Malcolm and her husband Donald of Punta Gorda, FL, Valerie Wackerbarth and her husband Stephen of West Springfield, Dennis Billings and his wife Sharon of Granville, Kenneth Billings and his wife Linda of Port Charlotte, FL, SSG Glenn Billings, Retired US Army and his wife Lisa of Livermore, CO, Lynne Elfeky and her husband Hamad of Simsbury, CT; 3 step-children, Marie Mathes of Agawam, John Woodell and his wife Marrianne of Forestdale, MA and James Woodell and his partner Arthur Smith of Washington, DC. She also leaves three brothers, Reverend William Heiden of Pensacola, FL, Kenneth Heiden of Springfield, and Frank Heiden of Agawam; and her sister, Carol Aiken of Westfield. She departs from her 17 grandchildren, 16 great-grandchildren, in addition to many nieces, nephews, grandnieces and grandnephews. She was predeceased by her sisters, Joan Crepeau and Joyce Mastroianni and her grandson, Christopher Billings.
Her funeral will be held on Monday, February 10th at 9:30 a.m. from the Southwick Forastiere Funeral Home, 624 College Highway, in Southwick, followed by a Liturgy of Christian Burial at 11:00 a.m. at St. Mary’s Parish, 30 Bartlett Street, Westfield. A private Spring Burial will take place at New Cemetery in Southwick. Relatives and friends are welcome to visit on Sunday, February 9th from 2-5 p.m. with a Celebration of Life Service beginning at 5:00 p.m. at the Southwick Forastiere Funeral Home, 624 College Highway, Southwick.
Contributions in Mary Ellen’s memory may be directed to the Granville Ambulance Association, P.O. Box 247 Granville, MA 01034. For more information, please visit us at www.forastierefuneralhome.com
