Winona M. Corse

Winona M. Corse

Conway, MA - Winona M. Corse, 88, passed away Tuesday, May 21, 2024 at Greenfield Rehabilitation and Nursing Center after a period of declining health. Winnie, as she was known to many, was born October 13, 1935 in Florence, Massachusetts to Herman A. and Ethelwyn W. (Wilder) Hathaway.

Survivors include two daughters, Leslie Brown and her partner Thomas Synnott of Erving, Elizabeth Kelly and her partner Justus Conant of Easthampton and son Raymond Corse and his wife Betty Ann of Columbia, TN. She also leaves her sister Viola (Bunny) Hathaway (William) of Ashfield. Other surviving family members include grandchildren Sara Gibbons (Frank), Jason Brown (Aya) all of Greenfield, Alex Boczanowski (Jenn) of TN, Zoe Cotter in TX and Caitlyn Corse in OK, as well as great-grandchildren Quinn and Xavier Gibbons, Azalea and Atlas Boczanowski. Survivors also include several nieces and nephews throughout New England. She was predeceased by her parents, sister Ida Kolasinski, brother Raymond Hathaway, son Malcolm J. Corse, Jr. (2016) and husband Malcolm J. Corse (2022).

Winnie was always proud to be one of 13 graduates from Sanderson Academy in 1953.

After marrying Malcolm J. Corse on May 2, 1954 in Ashfield, she continued to live in Ashfield for the first year of her marriage and then moved to Conway where she lived for the next 66 years before residing at The Arbors and Greenfield Rehabilitation and Nursing Center the past two years. She and Malcolm also enjoyed a winter home in Brooksville, Florida for several years.

An accomplished seamstress and knitter she enjoyed making many of her own clothes as a teenager and young mother and continued to create special items for her grandchildren until arthritis made it too difficult. She also took joy in the planting of flowers around her home in Conway.

Waitressing was her initial work experience, followed by four years at Pro-Brush in Northampton from 1964 to 1968. In 1968 she became the Cafeteria Manager at Frontier Regional School until 1980 when she started her 15 year adventure travelling with her husband as his work took him to several jobs in Illinois, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Alabama, Mississippi, Georgia and East Germany. When settling back in Conway she enjoyed serving on the Historical Society, Festival of the Hills Committee and working at town elections.

Winnie loved travelling across the country with Malcolm and visited close to all 50 states, including Alaska and Hawaii. She also treasured a special trip to the Virgin Islands in 1972.

A huge thank you to the staff of Greenfield Rebab and Nursing Center who got to know her well and provided so much laughter and smiles in a safe environment for Winnie the past year.

Visiting hours will be Saturday, June 8 from 1:00 to 2:00 at Smith-Kelleher Funeral Home, 87 Franklin Street, Greenfield. Funeral services will begin at 2, followed by burial in Conway at Howland Cemetery.

Memorial contributions in lieu of flowers may be made to Conway Historical Society, PO Box 174, Conway, MA 01341 or to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital online at stjude.org.