Imelda Swank

"Imelda "Mel" M. (Lyons) Swank, 84, formerly of Allen Rd., died Saturday, March 13, 2010 at Wingate at Wilbraham Nursing Home. Born in Holyoke, October 2, 1925, the daughter of Timothy and Grace (Kennedy) Lyons. A graduate of Holyoke High School, Class of 1943, Mel lived in Northampton for 23 years prior to moving to Belchertown in 1974. She was a communicant and active member of St. Francis Church and a member of its Women's Club. She was a member of the Historical Society, the Friends of the Clapp Memorial Library, a former Lioness, and a member of National Wildlife Assoc. and Greenpeace. She is survived by a son Paul and his wife Joanne of Rancho Santa Fe, CA, along with her grandchildren Eric, Gretchen, Matthew and Gregory. Besides her parents, her husband Burton W. Swank and her son Mark Swank preceded her in death. At her request, all services will be privately held and Beers & Story Belchertown Funeral Home has been entrusted with the arrangements. For those wishing, please make donations in her memory to Greenpeace. "