Frances C (Pacosa) Sheaffer

Westfield- Frances (Pacosa) “Fran” C. Sheaffer, 74, of Westfield passed away on Saturday after suffering a stroke late last week. Fran spent many years working as a school bus driver. She first drove school buses in Easthampton in the 1970s while on hiatus from the phone company. Taking an early retirement from Nynex in the 1990s, she went to work for Lecrenskis driving buses in Westfield and surrounding towns.

Fran was a dedicated 4-H volunteer. In addition to 4-H she also volunteered at the Westfield Fair, The Big E, other local fairs, the Baystate NICU, the USO, and other organizations. Her interests included quilting, sewing, knitting, and horses. Her horse, Reba, remains in the care of Fran’s daughter, Tracey. Fran’s children inherited her love of reading and the science fiction, fantasy, mystery, and horror genres in particular. When they were growing up, she often had many books scattered around the house and the TV was often tuned to The Twilight Zone, Star Trek, The Outer Limits, Sherlock Holmes movies and various B genre movies among other things.

Born in Springfield to Stanislaus “Stanley” Pacosa and Florence (Bannach) Pacosa, Fran grew up in Chicopee. She had many fond childhood memories of her cousins Joy, Virginia and the late Michael Siciliano along with her Uncles Mike, Joe, Steve, and Henry, and her Aunts Phyllis, Edna, Teresa, Blanche, Rose, and Mary. Fran graduated from Chicopee High School in 1963. Before moving to Westfield in 1984, she also lived in Easthampton and West Springfield.

Fran leaves her son, Scott A. Sheaffer and his wife, Brianne, her daughter Tracey A. Beaulieu and Tracey’s husband Gary, her step daughter Kelly M. Wilson and Kelly’s husband Geoff, and her step son, Fr. Jack K. Sheaffer. She also leaves four grandchildren and two step grandchildren - Owen, Holly, and Isaac Sheaffer, Mark Beaulieu, Erin M. Casey, and Sean Kennedy. She also leaves her brother-in-law Normand Guerin, her nephews Robert Reyome and Brian Guerin as well as her step great grandchildren, grandnieces, grandnephews, and cousins. She is predeceased by parents, her sister Mary Ann Guerin, her husband Elmer “Butch” J. Sheaffer and many other close friends and relatives. The calling hours for Fran will be Sunday September 13th from 1-4 PM in the Firtion- Adams Funeral Service 76 Broad Street Westfield MA. Her funeral will be Monday September 14th at 10 AM in the funeral home followed by her burial in Pine Hill Cemetery. Donations in Fran’s name may be made to the Hampden County 4H Fair Association 463 College Highway, Southwick, MA 01077 C/O Carey Leckie. www.firtionadams.com

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