Stella C. Soja

August 7, 1919 - January 24, 2015

Stella C. (Simonich) Soja, 95, passed away peacefully on Saturday, January 24, 2015 at Mary’s Meadows. Born August 7, 1919, daughter of the late Joseph and Stella (Politowicz) Simonich, she lived in Chicopee for eighty four years and the past eleven years at Providence Place. She graduated from Holy Name Grammar and High School and attended Comptometer School. Stella worked at AG Spalding Co and previously for Stevens Arms and HL Handy. She was a communicant of Holy Name of Jesus Parish and a Eucharisit Minister, lector and member of the Padre Pio Prayer Group at St. Francis Chapel. She loved traveling, cookouts, family dinners, swimming, baking, fishing, gardening and playing scrabble. Along with her husband she was benefactor of many charitable organizations. Stella was predeceased in 2010 by her beloved husband, Peter W. Soja and in 1941 by her first born son, Peter Joseph Soja. She is survived by four loving sons, Martin and his wife Ann, of Manhasset, NY, Donald and his dear friend Margaret Zoto, of Harvard, David and his wife Vikki, of Longmeadow and Dr. Peter John and his wife Lynn, of Vancouver, Canada; five cherished grandchildren, Mark and his wife Lisa, of Chappaqua, NY, Steven and his wife Julie, of Tiberon, CA, Jonathan and his wife Charlotte, of San Francisco, CA; Rebecca Vonsiatsky and her husband Alex, of Wilmington, NC; and Shamus and Laura, of Vancouver, Canada; seven great grandchildren, Jacqueline, Caroline, Isabel, Sophia, Tessia, Ben and Owen; and a sister, Helene Rumanowski, of Chicopee. She was predeceased by her brothers, Francis and Martin Simonich and sister, Isabel Ostrowski. Funeral services will be held Wednesday from the Kozikowski Funeral Home, 565 Front St., Chicopee, followed by a Mass of Christian Burial at 11AM in Assumption Church, Chicopee. Burial will follow in Calvary Cemetery. Calling hours are Wednesday from 9-10:30AM. Memorial contributions may be made to Holy Name of Jesus Parish, 120 Springfield St., Chicopee, MA 01013 or Providence Place, 5 Gamelin St., Holyoke, MA 01040.