Because of the expected cold temperatures and snow during the calling hours at Firtion Adams Funeral Home today, arrangements have been made to allow attendees to wait at the Masonic Temple before moving on to the funeral home. (Photo by Carl E. Hartdegen)
WESTFIELD – With the calling hours for Westfield firefighter Kevin Regan set to begin at 3 p.m. and running until 7 p.m. today at the Firtion-Adams Funeral Home on 76 Broad Street, there is a strong likelihood that there could be a considerable wait in the cold for mourners paying their final respects to the beloved fireman and community leader.
Which is why James R. Adams of Firtion-Adams has worked out an arrangement with the home’s next door neighbors, the Mount Moriah Lodge of 72 Broad Street, to keep those waiting in line for the Regan calling hours out of the cold winter weather, as today’s temperatures are estimated to fall into the 20s with snow showers expected.
“If this building gets full, we can’t have people waiting out in the cold,” said Adams Thursday morning. “I know they are more than happy to host any overflow with the line and we’ll have someone over there to notify folks when they can come into the funeral parlor.”
Adams said earlier this week that he expects between 1,000 to 2,000 people to visit the funeral home for the calling hours for Regan, 62, who was struck by a vehicle on December 27 while crossing Route 28 after dinner in Yarmouth with his fiancee Lynda Cavanaugh while visiting their condo on Cape Cod.
John Flagg of Mount Moriah said Thursday morning that he would be meeting with Adams to go over the logistics of their arrangement but stated that his organization is more than happy to help the Regan family.
“It’s what we do,” he said. “We are a not-for-profit, charitable organization whose goal is to help the community and our brothers and sisters in need. As long as they need us, we’ll be there.”
Regan’s funeral will be held tomorrow morning at 10 a.m. at Our Lady of the Blessed Sacrament on 127 Holyoke Road. He will be laid to rest at St. Mary’s Cemetary immediately following his Funeral Mass.
