Kathleen Gail Brunelle

Kathleen “Gail” (McDonnell) Brunelle passed peacefully from this world and into the Lord’s grace on November 4, 2021, after a long illness. She lived 78 full and active years, and was predeceased by her loving parents, George and Catherine (Malone) McDonnell of Feeding Hills; her sister Mary Ellen (McDonnell) Arslanian of Springfield; and nephew Adam Conway, also of Feeding Hills. Born in 1943 and originally raised in West Springfield, Gail moved with her family in the mid-50s to Dingle, County Kerry, Ireland, where she lived for several years before returning to the States and spending the rest of her life as a resident of Agawam. She graduated from Agawam High School in 1961, received her Bachelor of Science in Education from Westfield State College in 1965, and went on to earn her Master’s Degree in 1970. She began her teaching career at Granger Elementary School, stopping to take a “16-year maternity leave” to have and raise three amazing children before going back to teach, this time at the Roberta Doering (Agawam) Middle School, where she stayed until her retirement in 2001. She not only enjoyed educating her students over the years, she would oftentimes go to their sports games and other after-school activities as well, always looking for ways to encourage and cheer them on. Gail enjoyed a variety of interests and pursuits throughout her life, especially if they could be shared with family and friends. Some of her favorites included traveling through Europe with her sisters in her teens; celebrating New Year’s Eve and other holidays with her family as well as college and lifelong best friends; planning trips to the casino and to see her “Bingo Buddies”; joining “The Retirees” for breakfast once a week at Memo’s; and spending most Sunday mornings chatting with friends over coffee and lemon Danish at Giovanni’s. She was also a voracious reader, drank ten times her weight in coffee milkshakes, was a fan of “Wheel of Fortune,” “Jeopardy,” Hallmark Movie mysteries, and never missed an “NCIS” marathon. Everyone who met Gail loved her, and she couldn’t go anywhere without bumping into someone who either knew her, or thought she was her “Irish twin” sister, Vera. Her greatest joy came from doting on friends and family and keeping them in stitches with her supreme and wonderfully wry sense of humor. Gail leaves behind her best friend and husband of 54 years, Leon “Bill” Brunelle and their three children, Laurie (Brunelle); Officer Christopher Brunelle and his wife, affectionately called “Laurie II”; and Dr. Brian Brunelle and his partner, Dr. Nyssa Levy. She is also survived by her sister, Vera (McDonnell) Conway; sister-in-law Bonita (Meehan) Brunelle, who was predeceased by her husband, Bernard Brunelle; cousin Sylvia Ready; her beloved grandchildren Karina Litvak, Daniel Brunelle and Shannon Brunelle; nieces Faith Conway, Doreen Retzlaff, and Brigitte Brunelle; nephew Todd Arslanian; two beautiful great-grandchildren, and countless other dear family and friends, all of whom contributed to giving Gail a life overflowing with laughter and love. Her family would like to thank everyone who loved and cared for her, and want to especially thank the doctors and staff at Mercy Hospital, and the wonderful nurses at Sister Caritas for all their hard work. The funeral will be Wednesday at 9am from the AGAWAM CURRAN JONES FUNERAL HOME, 745 Cooper Street with a Mass at St. John the Evangelist Church at 10. The burial will be private. Calling hours are Tuesday from 4-7pm. Per Gail’s request, the family asks that in lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Shriner’s Hospital for Children, 516 Carew Street, Springfield, MA 01104. For online condolences please visit www.curranjones.com