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Rachel Masson Obituary
Greenfield, MA - Rachel Armstrong Masson passed away from unforeseen natural causes at her home in Greenfield, Massachusetts, on May 7, 2024. She was 46 years old. Rachel will be remembered as a devoted wife and loving mother, sister and friend.
Rachel was born in Santa Cruz, California, to her parents John Beran and Elizabeth Armstrong. She lived in Northern California until she moved to Vermont where she attended Landmark College and later UMASS Amherst. As a young adult she settled in the Pioneer Valley, and early on became a foster parent for teen girls before having her own family. For the past 20 years, Rachel worked in college recruitment and admissions; first at Landmark College and most recently at UMASS Amherst.
Rachel was vivacious, with an infectious laugh. She was known for entertaining and cooking phenomenal meals. She could strike up a conversation with anyone and put people at ease. She was an avid gardener and loved nothing more than spending time on her deck in the sun with friends and family.
Rachel is survived by wife Mary-Beth Landy, her daughter Kai, and stepchildren Anna Barboza-McFarlane and Kendra Joujoute and her husband Reginald; grandchildren Zabi and Zaria; sister Elizabeth Wolfe and her husband Jacob; and niece Ruby and nephew Patrick. A celebration of life will be held at St. Paul's Lutheran Church in Greenfield, Massachusetts, on Saturday, May 18th at 11:00 am with reception to follow.
In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to Wonderfundma.org which serves children involved in the Massachusetts Department of Children and Families.
Arrangements are under the direction of the Kostanski Funeral Home. For condolences, please visit www.kostanskifuneralhome.com
To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.
Memories and Condolences
for Rachel Masson
5 Entries
Barbara Mitchell
October 1, 2024
It was shared with me today that Rachel passed in the springtime. As a school counselor I could always count on Rachel to provide insight on UMass and my students. She truly was my go-to person for all things UMass - even when my own child began attending UMass, I would reach out to Rachel with a new parent question or two and she always had the answer. The news of her passing truly took my breath away. I feel lucky to have know her for the brief time I did and can only imagine how deeply she is missed by her family, friends and UMass colleagues - she was a one of a kind great individual.
,
June 5, 2024
Am saddened to hear of Rachel's passing. I worked with her at Landmark College.
Anita Royce
James Patten
June 2, 2024
I´m so sorry to hear of her loss. She was my neighbor and always had a smile. She loved animals and her gardens. Such a wonderful person. Gone too soon. My deepest condolences to her loved ones.
Dale Herold
May 17, 2024
Rachel remains a treasured friend and colleague. She had a spirit of generosity, curiosity, good will and amazing light. Rachel worked for me at Landmark College and also at Beacon College. All who knew her and loved her are saddened by her youthful passing. One of my favorite memories happened during the many conferences we attended throughout the USA in sponsoring Landmark and Beacon...Rachel always planned our dining experiences...And they were superb!!! Rachel will always be in my heart and and an inspiration of kindness, fortitude, intelligence and beauty. My heart hurts for Mary-Beth, Kai and all who were fortunate enough to have been graced by her friendship. May her light continue to shine through us...Deepest Condolences Dale Herold
Mary Jane MacGuire - Landmark College
May 15, 2024
I am so sorry to hear of Rachel's passing. She was a wonderful person and colleague while at Landmark, bringing a sense of dedication and spirit to everything she did. My deepest condolences to her family. She will be missed.
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Kostanski Funeral Home, Inc. - Greenfield220 Federal Street, Greenfield, MA 01301
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