Frank Obremski Jr.

SOUTH HADLEY – Frank Obremski Jr. 95, passed away on Thursday December 2, 2021. Frank was born in Winchester, N.H., son of the late Frank and Anna (Stanisiewski) Obremski. He grew up in South Hadley and lived there for 90 years. He was a WWII Navy veteran, the oldest past-master of the Mount Holyoke Lodge, and a member of the Shriners Legion of Honor. He belonged to the Lions Club and the VFW. In his spare time, Frank loved to fish and was a member of the Snookers Fishing Club in Florida. 

Frank is predeceased by his sister, Virginia Antaya, and his granddaughter, Kimberly Cannata. He leaves behind his wife, Barbara (Ashton) of South Hadley, with whom he recently celebrated 75 years of marriage, and his sister, Wanda McCorkle of S.C.; his children and their spouses, William and Audrey Obremski of Costa Rica, Susan and Mark Crowther of South Hadley, Nancy Dell and Tom Cannata of Feeding Hills, and Robert and Cheryl Obremski of South Hadley; eight grandchildren, Polly, Emily, Lizza, Ben, Leah, Sally, Ian and Neal, and seven great-grandchildren, Maya, Sam, Layla, Phoebe, Calvin, Kai A. and Kai W.

Frank was a gentle, hardworking, family man. Large in stature, with a humble, calming presence, he asserted authority without trying. His childhood involved many farm chores and instilled in him a love of the land and a very strong work ethic. As a teenager aboard the USS Monterey in WWII, Frank taught the crew how to grow tomatoes on board so they enjoyed fresh produce throughout their service. He continued to enjoy growing food and maintained a big garden throughout his life. He lived sustainably, always making good use of everything. He would store and recycle items at his barn, thinking someday he would find a use for them.  “The Barn,” became legendary for its amazing collection of treasures. 

After the war, Frank’s work ethic and ingenuity served him well in his construction business. He built many homes in South Hadley and the surrounding area. His innovative nature helped the start up of Yankee Candle when he devised a heated wax room and a rotating taper wheel to speed up production at the original Holyoke location.

Along with family, working, and gardening, fishing was Frank’s other great passion. There were no problems in life that couldn’t be helped by a few hours on the water with his fishing pole. He cured his pre-wedding jitters with an early morning fishing trip, causing his bride some concern about whether he would be late for his own wedding. Thankfully, he made it on time.

Frank’s generous hands and his size 14 feet left a big impression on this earth and his family will be ever grateful for his kindness, strength, dependability, and love. 

A funeral service will be held for Frank at the O’Brien Funeral Home in South Hadley on Monday, December 27 at 2 pm. A calling hour will precede the service from 1- 2 pm. For more information please visit obrienfamilyfh.com