Patricia “Pat” (Connolly) Girard January 4, 1947 – June 26, 2026

It is with great sadness that the family of Patricia “Pat” (Connolly) Girard announces her passing on Friday, June 26, 2026, at The Wellington in Springfield, Massachusetts.

Born on January 4, 1947, in Westfield, Massachusetts, Pat was the daughter of the late Arthur Connolly and Mabel R. (Hovencamp) Connolly.

Pat was predeceased by her husband, Robert C. Girard, Jr.; her parents, Arthur Connolly and Mabel R. (Hovencamp) Connolly; her brother, Arthur Connolly; and her sisters, Francis (Connolly) Pombier and JoAnn (Connolly) Peterson.

She is survived by her sisters, Sharon Cote of Chicopee, Massachusetts, Mary Cowan of Graham, North Carolina, and Catherine Barney of Franklin, Tennessee; and her brother, Martin Connolly of Fort Mills, North Carolina.

She is also survived by her four beloved children: Steven Girard (Tina) of Westfield, Massachusetts; Nadine (Girard) Azzaro of Feeding Hills, Massachusetts; Rebecca (Girard) Beggs (Glynn) of Feeding Hills, Massachusetts; and Robert C. Girard III (Dawn) of Chester, Massachusetts.

She was also blessed with four cherished grandchildren, Joshua, Jacob, Zachary, and Victoria, and seven great-grandchildren and another due very soon.  She also leaves behind a large extended family of nieces, nephews, dear friends, and several beloved grandpets, all of whom brought joy to her life.

Pat spent many years operating The Happy Day Childcare Center in Westfield, alongside her mother.  An avid baker, she later turned her passion into a career, working in the bakery departments of several Big Y locations.  Later in life, she moved to Florida and continued her bakery work at Publix.  Upon her retirement, she returned to Massachusetts to once again be surrounded by her family and lifelong friends.

Known to many simply as “Miss Pat,” she had a wonderful sense of humor, a quick sarcastic wit, and a knack for making others smile. She was caring, strong, resilient, and just the right amount of stubborn. Generations of her children’s friends came to know and love her as “Miss Pat,” a name that stayed with her throughout her life.  She enjoyed baking, arts and crafts and always trying her luck with a game of Keno.

A Funeral Mass will be held at St Peter’s Church, 34 State St, Westfield on Thursday, July 9th at 1030am.  Burial services will be private and at a later date.  

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the Lewy Body Dementia Association at www.lbda.org.

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