John F. "Jake" Forkey

HOLYOKE- John Francis "Jake" Forkey, 80, of Holyoke died peacefully at the Renaissance Manor in Holyoke on Thursday, May 10, 2012 surrounded by his loving family. He was born in Worcester, the youngest child of Herbert and Mary (Kennedy) Forkey. Proudly raised and educated in Easthampton, where he was member of multiple sports teams which he thoroughly enjoyed. John worked several years as a welder at Phillips Manufacturing in Easthampton before leaving to work at Smith College, in several positions. He retired in 1997 after thirty years, leaving behind dozens of cherished friends and colleagues. After a short retirement, Jack was restless and went to work as a custodian for St. Peters Lutheran Church where he continued to work until 2011. He was also a greeter at the Barry J Farrell Funeral Home for several years. John will be remembered for his contagious smile and his ability to have you laughing within moments of seeing him. As his children grew, he never missed their many sports events or an opportunity for a game of catch in the back yard. He had many passions and hobbies, including traveling to Ogunquit with his wife, walking the Marginal Way, working in his yard and the occasional trip to Foxwoods. John was a communicant of Blessed Sacrament Church. He is survived by his beloved wife Dorothy (Stevens) of almost 50 years, his children Neil S, Forkey and his wife Roseline Tremblay of Montreal, Canada, his son Mark S Forkey and his wife Cathy Forkey of Berkley, MA and his grandchildren, all of whom will deeply miss their "Grandpa", Meghan, Ryan, Pierre-Laurent and Eleonore. He is also survived by many nieces and nephews. A dog lover all his life, John will be especially missed by loving Penny. John was pre-deceased by his brother Vincent of California and sisters Shirley Nadeau and MaryJane Graham of Easthampton. The funeral will be held Tuesday morning at 9am from the Barry J. Farrell Funeral Home, 2049 Northampton St., followed by a Mass in Blessed Sacrament Church at 10am. Burial will be at the convenience of the family. Calling hours will be held at the funeral home Monday evening from 4 to 7pm. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made in John's memory to Friends of the Holyoke Council on Aging, 310 Appleton St, Holyoke, MA 01040 or Shriner's Hospital for Children, 516 Carew St. Springfield, MA 01104.