Rene Crete

"Rene Crete, Sr., 70, of Belchertown, died peacefully at home Friday, December 27th, 2019 surrounded by his family. He was the son of the late Adrien J. and Rita Crete. Born in Holyoke on March 8, 1949, he attended Immaculate Conception School in Holyoke and La Salette Seminary in Cheshire, CT. He was employed as a janitor at Model City in Holyoke and Belchertown State School, and was a mechanic at Holyoke Street Railway. He liked anything mechanical or technical. He had a beautiful voice and was a cantor at several area churches. A self-taught guitar and keyboard player, he enjoyed writing and playing songs with his brother Raymond. He was a communicant of St. Bartholomew and St. Thomas church in Palmer. He will be deeply missed by his wife of 39 years, Elizabeth (Bohan), his son Rene Jr and his partner Katie and his daughter Emily. He also leaves his siblings Adrien A. Crete of Boston, Irene Barlow and Raymond Crete and his wife Phyllis of Holyoke, as well as several nieces and nephews. A Funeral Mass will be on Saturday, January 4 at 10:00 am at St. Thomas Church, family and friends may gather at the funeral home by 9:oo am. Burial will be private to the family. Calling hours are on Friday from 4:00 to 7:00 pm at Beers & Story Palmer Funeral Home, 1475 N. Main St. In lieu of flowers, please donate to the frontotemporal dementia assoc. at www.theaftd.org."