Clara Pipczynski
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Clara (Ziemba) Pipczynski, 88, of North Hadley died on March 11, 2021, at home surrounded by family.
Clara was born at Cooley Dickinson Hospital on January 1st, 1933, to Florian and Katherine (Warchol) Ziemba. She attended local schools in Hadley. In 1950 she was voted the Hopkins Academy Prom Queen. She graduated from Hopkins Academy in 1951.
During high-school, and after graduation she worked at Montgomery Rose in Hadley. She also worked at Zayres. In early 1980's she started working at UMass Amherst as a custodian, and eventually retired from UMass. In addition to her career, she also helped harvest crops and tobacco on the Pipczynski Farm in North Hadley.
In 1953 she married Adolph "Duff" Pipczynski and together they had 2 children, Dennis, and Janie. As a couple they enjoyed attending many polka dances and festivals in New England and the Catskills in New York. Their favorite band was the Eddie Forman Orchestra. They also traveled to England in the bicentennial year, The Bahamas, Puerto Rico, and Bermuda. They also enjoyed spending time with family and friends, and hosting celebrations, each celebration bigger and better than the last.
Clara was an avid lover of flowers that stemmed from her days at Montgomery Rose. One of her favorite pastimes was walking through the gardens at her house, admiring the flowers. Her favorite flower was Roses.
Clara will be missed by Duff, her husband for nearly 68 years, her daughter Jane Szelewicki and her husband Frank, and her son Dennis Pipczynski and his wife Sandy. She will also be missed by her grandchildren, Ryan, Sarah and Katie, and great grandchildren Devin and Cameron.
Upon marrying into the Pipczynski family, Clara acquired a huge extended family that she leaves behind, including June Suleski, Pat Pipczynski, Bernadette Wyman, Yadja and Bob Bacher, John Boisvert, Joe Pipczynski and Patty Cotton, Benjie and John Tessier, Tony Pipczynski, and Fran Pipczynski and Janet Winter. She also leaves behind many other extended family members and cousins.
She was predeceased by sisters-in-law Martha (Pipczynski) Boisvert and Debbie (Mazur) Pipczynski, brothers-in-law John Pipczynski, Warren Wyman, John Suleski, and Richard Waido.
Calling hours will be Monday, March 15th from 4 to 6 PM at CZELUSNIAK FUNERAL HOME of Northampton. The family is asking that attendees follow strict covid guidelines, including mask-wearing and practicing social distancing. Funeral mass and burial in Holy Rosary Cemetery will be private. For online condolences, please visit Czelusniakfuneralhome.com.
In lieu of flowers, a donation can be made in Clara's memory to either Cooley Dickinson VNA and Hospice at 168 Industrial Drive, Northampton, MA 01060 or The Cemetery Fund at Most Holy Redeemer Church at 120 Russell Street, Hadley, MA 01035.