Madeline Conte Casey

TEMPLETON- Madeline (Conte) Casey, 94, of Templeton, died Sunday, February 11, at the Baldwinville Skilled Nursing and Rehabilitation Center. Madeline was born January 8, 1924, in (GREENWICH VILLAGE) New York, New York, daughter of the late Dominic and Madelina (Pinto) Conte. Mrs. Casey was an executive secretary at Amherst College for many years. She was beloved by the students who on many occasions voted her honorary member of their graduating class. She also fought for years for compensation equity for Amherst College staff and was among those instrumental in establishing an Advisory Committee on Personnel Policies. Outside of work, she devoted herself to social justice issues, volunteering with a number of groups throughout her life. Madeline loved to cook and entertain, and enjoyed lifelong learning, the arts and all things Italian. She never was without the companionship of a cat and dog. She was predeceased by her husband, Edward Casey of Springfield, MA. She leaves three sons, Frederick deFriesse and his wife, Sharon of Templeton, Peter deFriesse and his wife, Janice of Montague, and Robert deFriesse of Rehoboth; one daughter, Georgette deFriesse of Belchertown; two grandchildren, Jeffrey deFriesse of Springfield, and Maia Wentrup of Lunenburg. She is also survived by Anne Marie Casey, Edward and Kathleen (Bresnahan) Casey, Mary Eileen Casey, and Sean and Debbie (Fitzgerald) Casey. Funeral services are private with the assistance of Lamoureux-Smith & Poliks Funeral Home, a Mack Family Funeral Home, 105 Central St., Gardner. A Mass at Sacred Heart Church in Springfield, MA and a gathering in Madeline's memory will be scheduled at a future date. Donations in Madeline's memory may be made to www.maryspence.org or to www.dakinhumane.org. To sign the online guestbook, please visit www.mackfamilyfh.com. Lamoureux-Smith & Poliks Funeral Home – A Mack Family Funeral Home is assisting with arrangements.