Celia A. Garstka, 97, died at Cooley Dickinson Hospital in Northampton on June 2, 2022. Born in Chicopee, she was the daughter of John and Anna (Przybylowicz) Biernacki. Ceil was a graduate of Chicopee High School. One of her first jobs was working for American Maid Footwear, she went on to work for Springfield Armory then to A.G. Spalding Brothers, Inc. where she stitched baseballs. Her primary job was with the J.P. Stevens Plastics Manufacturing Company as an extruder until her retirement. Ceil in retirement went on to work part time, making wrap sandwiches and chicken pot pies for the Big Y Grocery Store in Southampton.
Ceil has been a resident of Southampton since 1950, where she and her late husband John V. Garstka enjoyed over 66 happy years together until his passing in 2017. John and Ceil loved to ballroom dance. Ceil enjoyed caring for her flower garden, oil painting, sewing and making clothes for her family. In her spare time, she was always happy being at the casino.
She will be dearly missed by her children; John and his wife Marsha Garstka of Littleton, Corinne Garstka and her husband William Osley of Southampton, Patricia and her husband Michael Parenteau of Southampton and Cindy Garstka and her husband Paul Kupchaunis of Melrose, MA. She was a loving grandmother to 8 and a great grandmother to 7. Ceil leaves her sister Violet Forni of South Hadley.
She was predeceased by her brothers; Joseph, Stanley, Walter, Frank and Albert Biernacki, along with her sisters; Mary Gwizdaloski, Bertha Nowak, Jennie Pietras and Ann Olbrych.
Her funeral will be held on Tuesday, June 7th at 9 AM from the Boucher – O’Brien Funeral Home on 7 Pleasant St., Easthampton. Her Funeral Mass will be held at 10 AM in Our Lady of the Valley Parish with a committal in St Stanislaus Cemetery to follow. Calling Hours will be on Monday 5-7 PM at the funeral home. The family is requesting that all wear masks.
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