Rachel Lucille (Hibbard) Savoy

Wilbraham- Rachel, age 97, formerly of Ware, MA, passed away peacefully August 6th in her Wilbraham home with her family. Rachel was born in Ware, MA to Bertram and Eliza (Sibley) Hibbard and spent her childhood years on her family’s dairy farm in New Braintree, MA.

Rachel was predeceased by her husband Richard of 45 years who passed away in 2012. She was also predeceased by seven siblings: Bertram, Jr. (Gene), Everett (Bucky), Richard, Eleanor, Alice, Florence and Bertha.

She leaves behind her three children, Betty Pryzpek of West Brookfield, Catherine Beaupre of Wilbraham and Ronald Marchessault and wife Christine of West Brookfield.  She will be sadly missed by her sister, Grace Hadlock of Ware, her 10 grandchildren, 22 great grandchildren, extended family and devoted friends, Walter and Joanne Gould of Springfield.

She and Richard owned the Water Wheel Restaurant in Springfield, MA and Charlie’s, a seasonal seafood drive-in in Madison, CT for several years. After retirement, they traveled throughout the United States, Canada, Europe and the Bahamas before settling in their home on Beaver Lake in Ware, MA.

In 2014, Rachel joined her daughter at the Gardens of Wilbraham and enjoyed their community activities, especially Bingo night.  She was a member of Grace Union Church in Wilbraham, active in the Ware Senior Center and loved family get togethers, the Boston Red Sox, the PGA, jigsaw and word puzzles and monthly lunches with her sisters, Grace and Bertha.

A private graveside service and burial will be held in Pine Grove Cemetery, West Brookfield, MA at the convenience of the family. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that any donations in Rachel’s memory be made to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105 (www.stjude.org) or the Wounded Warrior Project, P.O. Box 758516, Topeka, Kansas 66675-8516, (support.woundedwarriorproject.org/donate). Varnum Funeral Home, West Brookfield, MA is entrusted with her final care.

An online guest book is available www.varnumfuneralhome.com

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