Mary B. Powers

West Springfield- Mary �Tia Mary� Bernice Powers, 77, passed away Monday at Baystate Medical Center. She was born Guatemala on April 13th, 1940 to the late Patrick and Maria (Rossi) Powers. She lived most of her life in West Springfield. Mary received her BA in Education in 1962 from Our Lady of the Elms College in Chicopee. She was an Elementary School Teacher in Chicopee for 46 years and retired in 2007. She was an active communicant of St. Thomas Church the Apostle Church in West Springfield and was a member of their Social Committee and volunteered for over 30 years in the Annual Catholic Appeal. She enjoyed her numerous summers at the family home in Harwich and belonged to the knitting club at the Holy Trinity Church in Harwich. She was the loving sister of Patrick J. Powers Jr. and his wife Cynthia of West Springfield, devoted aunt of Aidan Patrick Elliott and Colin Michael Elliott both of Wilbraham and she leaves her lifelong friend Ellen O�Neill of West Springfield. The funeral will be Friday 10:30 AM at TOOMEY-O�BRIEN FUNERAL HOME, 1043 Westfield Street, West Springfield followed by a Funeral Mass at 11:30 AM at St. Thomas the Apostle Church. Burial will be at St. Thomas Cemetery. Calling hours are Thursday from 4-7 PM at the funeral home. In lieu of flowers donations in Mary�s memory may be made to the Shriners� Hospital for Children, 516 Carew Street, Springfield, MA 01104-2396 or to the Take and Eat Program, St. Michael�s Cathedral, 260 State Street, Springfield, MA 01103.