Ronald J. Barrett

Ronald Joseph Barrett, 87, of Hadley, Massachusetts, passed away peacefully on December 21, 2025, in Northampton, Massachusetts, after a period of declining health. 

Born on February 18, 1938, in Northampton, Massachusetts, Ronald was the son of the late John and Dorothy (Taylor) Barrett. He was a long-time resident of Hadley, where he built his life and raised his family. 

Ronald was predeceased by his beloved wife, Sylvia (Ely) Barrett, and his siblings, John, Robert, and Dorothy.  

Ronald served honorably in the U.S. Army in 1957 and 1958. After returning home, Ronald started a flooring and carpentry business before finding his true passion in being a professional motorcoach (not a bus) driver. He loved taking seniors on trips up and down the East Coast and area college teams to games across New England. He refused to drive in any vehicle on Storrow Drive in Boston because buses weren’t allowed.  

He is survived by his son, David Barrett, and his wife Kelly of Trumbull, Connecticut; his daughter, Amy Meserve and her husband Jason of Amherst, New Hampshire; and his cherished grandchildren, Sam Barrett, Riley Barrett, and Harper Barrett. 

David and Amy would like to thank Leanne Kokoski and Courtney Wackerbarth for taking wonderful care of Ronald for the past decade. They’d also like to thank the staff at Linda Manor for caring for him in his final years.  

Mr. Barrett, as he was known to many, will be deeply missed by his family and friends. 

A memorial service in honor of Ronald will be held at 3:00 p.m. on Monday, January 5, 2026, at the Beers & Story Belchertown Funeral Home, 10 Maple St., Belchertown, Massachusetts. His burial will take place in the spring. In lieu of flowers, please consider donations in his memory to the American Cancer Society.