Doris Eveline (Dansereau) Kuzeja

Doris Eveline “Dolly” (Dansereau) Kuzeja, beloved mother, grandmother and great-grandmother, died May 13, the memorial of Our Lady of Fatima.

The daughter of the late Lionel and Ida (Stewart) Dansereau, she was predeceased by her beloved husband, John, who served in combat in the U.S. Army for the first years of their marriage. They were parishioners of the Church of the Immaculate Conception, later to become the Church of Our Lady of the Valley, and residents of Easthampton, since 1950.

A graduate of Sacred Heart High School in Springfield, she was inducted into the National Honor Society and was a member of the Debate Team. She loved reading, art, theater and music and audited many courses in the humanities at Smith College.

She was a loving and devoted wife and mother, and she most enjoyed hosting large family gatherings. She was skilled in cooking, as well as flower gardening. She loved animals, over the years adopting several dogs and cats as pets. She worked as a volunteer in the local council of the Girl Scouts of America, and she and her husband served in many civic organizations, including the Parent-Teacher Associations of Easthampton schools, often in leadership roles, and in parents’ groups at the Williston and MacDuffie schools. The couple worked extensively in local environmental preservation projects for the protection of the Barnes Aquifer. They enjoyed theater, concerts and travel, often accompanied in later years by their grandchildren.

She was predeceased by her brother, Richard Dansereau, and her sister, Rochelle (Dansereau) Meunier.

She is survived by her children and their families: John Kuzeja, Jr., Eileen DeVries, Martha Terry, Katherine Fisher and Paul Kuzeja; by her grandchildren: Elizabeth Terry, Douglas Terry, Pamela Terry, Carolyn (DeVries) Mora, LT, USNR, Dr. Stephen DeVries, CPT, CTARNG, Joseph Fisher and James Fisher; by seven great-grandchildren, and by many cousins and nieces and nephews and their families.

The Rev. Douglas McGonagle. Pastor of the Church of the Lady of the Valley, conducted private services at the Graham Funeral Home and Saint Brigid’s Cemetery in Easthampton. In light of the current emergency measures, the funeral Mass will take place at a later date.It is requested that Masses be offered and prayers said for the deceased. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Church of Our Lady of the Valley, 33 Adams Street, Easthampton.

“Love never falleth away…We see now through a glass darkly; but then face to face.”

1 Cor. 13: 8, 12.

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