Alson Kilbourn Canary, Jr. passed away peacefully at home on Friday, April 17. 2026. He was born in Springfield on October 3, 1934 to the late Alson Kilbourn Canary & Ruth (Howard) Canary. He graduated from West Springfield High School in 1952 and soon married his high school sweetheart, Shirley (Marilyn) Dupuis, settling in West Springfield to raise their family. Al was an incredibly hard worker holding down several jobs to provide for his young family. He finally found his niche when he took a sales job with Allstate Insurance Company. He built a sizeable client base so when Allstate moved out of the State of MA in 1989, he took the leap to start his own, independent insurance agency. With his daughter Sandra by his side, he partnered with Richard Blomstrom and together they grew the Agency into the Canary Blomstrom Insurance Agency, which is still thriving today. Al & his wife enjoyed traveling far & wide but mostly enjoyed the life of RV camping throughout the US and spent several years as snowbirds in Titusville, FL. They have always been active in their various church affiliations throughout the years, serving as volunteers in many capacities. Most currently they are members of St. Peter’s Lutheran Church in Holyoke. Al had also been actively involved in several AA groups throughout his life and had celebrated his 50th anniversary as a “Friend of Bill’s”. He was incredibly proud of all of his family and easily expressed his love and appreciation for each of them but especially for “his gal” Marilyn.

Al is survived by his wife of 72 years, Shirley (Marilyn), his children Stephen Canary & wife Karen, Sandra Brodeur, Michael Canary & wife Barbara, as well as his grandchildren Dana, Jessica, Jonathan, Benjamin & wife Megan, Lora & husband Jovan, Alyssa & husband Kevin, his great-granddaughter, Emma, and great-grandson, Leo as well as several “adopted” nieces, nephews and grandchildren whom he loved and fully embraced as family.

Visitation will be held on Monday, April 27th from 10AM-12Noon at Toomey O’Brien Funeral Home, 1043 Westfield St., West Springfield, concluding with Al’s Funeral Home Service at 12Noon. Burial will follow in Paucatuck Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to St. Peter’s Lutheran Church, 34 Jarvis Rd., Holyoke, MA 01040.