Mary T (Hunt) Holt

Mary T. Holt, 81, of Westhampton died peacefully while residing at Linda Manor on Sunday, January 7, 2018.

Mary was born November 22, 1936 to Edmund and Anna (Challet) Hunt.  She grew up in Northampton helping her parents run a market garden. She attended Northampton High School, then went on to a post graduate program in cosmetology, but chose not continue in that field.  She moved to Westhampton to raise her family and has lived in this special community ever since.  Mary worked at Hampshire Regional High School in the cafeteria until her retirement, and enjoyed going out to lunch regularly with the "lunch ladies", who remain a close knit group. In addition to being a member of the Westhampton Congregational United Church of Christ, she dedicated much of her life there as the church custodian caring for the physical space, as well as serving in many other volunteer capacities.  Most Westhampton residents will remember Mary coming to visit them when they first moved into town, as she served as the welcoming committee on behalf of the church for decades, showing new folks a warm welcome filled with love and friendship.  Mary particularly loved spending time at her son Stephen Holt's sugar house restaurant during sugar season.  She took great pride in this family endeavor and loved being there to warmly welcome everyone who visited, whether they were regulars or newcomers.  Although advanced arthritis and several joint replacements limited her mobility more and more over the years, she did not let that stop her from actively engaging with friends and family right up until her most recent fall last March.  Since that time, Mary has resided at Linda Manor after it became apparent that her mobility issues would not allow her to come home again.  Her family extends a deep and heartfelt thank you to the Linda Manor family who provided her with such great care during those 9 months - from the nurses, to the CPAs, to the food service staff (she loved the food!), to the amazing activity folks!  Mary had an enormous capacity for love, and everyone around her felt its warmth. Her greatest joy was her love for family and friends, and we are forever grateful that we celebrated her 80th birthday last year with a big open-invitation Westhampton party to shower her with the love that she so freely gave to everyone else.

Mary is survived by her children Deborah Costello and husband Edward, Stephen Holt and wife Julie, Michael Holt, and Marylou Burgess and husband Charles. She is also survived by grandchildren Stephanie Holt, Tiffany Holt, Andrew Costello, Jill (Burgess) Conklin and husband Tito, Kayla Chudzik-Holt, and Rachel Burgess, and her great-grandchildren Rosemary and Fabio Conklin.  She is survived by her sister Betty-Anne Gould. 

Calling hours for Mary Holt will be held Friday, January 12 from 4:00pm - 7:00pm at the Mitchell Funeral Home at 15 Park Street in Easthampton.  A memorial funeral service will be held at the Westhampton Congregational United Church of Christ at 1 Tob Road, Westhampton on Saturday, January 13 at 11:00am.  All are invited to a luncheon reception in the church dining room following the service.  Please come greet the family and share your stories and love of Mary on one or both of those days.  You all know how welcome she made everyone - it was her greatest gift. She is now being welcomed into heaven with open arms. We will miss her dearly, but we can comfort ourselves by picturing her with renewed strength. "Those who wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength, they shall mount up their wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint." (Isaiah 40:31). Amen and amen!

In lieu of flowers, gifts in Mary's memory may be given to the Westhampton Congregational United Church of Christ Endowment Fund or the Westhampton Volunteer Fire/EMS Department. 

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