Dona N. Gosselin

April 8, 1930 - June 24, 2013

-- On Monday, June 24, 2013, Dona N. “Mike” Gosselin, 83, a truly good man, died. If Mike touched your life in any way, you knew you had received a blessing. Mike was born on April 8, 1930, son of the late Dona J. and Mary (Pelky) Gosselin. A lifelong Springfield resident, he was a communicant of Sacred Heart Church and a member of its Over 60 Club, where he loved selling raffle tickets. Mike was a US Navy veteran of the Korean War and served aboard the USS Orion. In 1944 he met his future wife Theresa Matosky when she was twelve and he was fourteen. They were married on September 15, 1951 and shared sixty one years of married life. Their road wasn’t always easy-especially when their son Joe died in 1998 and their son Jim and daughter-in-law Darlene died in 2005. They survived their many trials because of the love they shared and their deep faith in God. He was also predeceased by his sisters, Jacqueline and Sandra. Mike was a member of American Legion Post 21 for sixty one years, a member of the Hampden County Deputy Sheriffs Association, Cubmaster and Webelos Leader of Pack 19 in Springfield, and a plank owner at the Navy Memorial in Washington, D.C. Mike is survived by his beloved wife, Theresa (Matosky) Gosselin, and his loving and devoted daughter, Joanne Beach and her partner, Manny Valera. He will be missed by his cherished grandchildren, Jimmy, Jr., Audra, Michael, Brian and his wife Janice, Sara, Gabrielle, Tyler, Shawn, Jillian, Jeremy, Matthew, and his honorary granddaughter, Anne Carmichael. His cherished great-grandchildren, Gianna, Maison, Aiden and Alexander will also miss Papa. He is also survived by his sisters, June Sadowski and Holly Spedding of Springfield, Rose Majgier and her husband Steve of Chicopee, and brother Ernest LeClair of Chicopee. Mike’s family would like to sincerely thank Sr. Maureen Toomey for her weekly visits and communion, to his Baystate Hospice nurse, Linda, who shared many laughs with us, and to our neighbors, who have done so much for us. Mike’s rule was “no crying”- if you’re going to cry, stay home. With everyone’s help Mike got his wish to die at home in the care of his family. Dear God, please bring this former submariner home to a safe and loving harbor. Funeral services for Mike will be held Thursday at 8:45 AM from the Kozikowski Funeral Home, 565 Front St., Chicopee, followed by a Liturgy of Christian Burial at 10 AM in Sacred Heart Church, 395 Chestnut St., Springfield. Rites of Committal and burial will follow in the Massachusetts Veterans Memorial Cemetery, 1390 Main St., Agawam. Calling hours are Wednesday from 3-7 PM.