Search by Name

Add a Memory

Send Flowers

Make a Donation

Share Obituary

Alfred Ernest Tetrault

1943 - 2024

BORN

1943

DIED

2024

Alfred Tetrault Obituary

Alfred Ernest Tetrault

Hatfield , MA - Alfred Ernest Tetrault, 80, passed away on December 24, 2024 in Greenfield, MA. Born December 28, 1943, to Leon and Fernount (Pine) Tetrault, Al grew up in Leeds, MA. He married his high school sweetheart, Harriet McWeeny, in 1964 and together they raised four children, Eric, Wendy, Henri and Cortney in Hatfield, MA.

Fiercely independent, Al embodied the spirit of self-determination and unconventionality. As a young man, he partnered with Don Wade in a heavy equipment construction business, and then moved onto farming. Tetrault Farm raised cucumbers and tobacco, beef cattle and horses. An innovator, Al built his own cucumber pickers and harvested tobacco with home-built rigs fitted to his heavy equipment. Never satisfied with the status quo, Al developed and coached a youth basketball travel team in the 1970s taking the kids of Hatfield to the bigger cities of Holyoke, Springfield and Pittsfield to compete. He loved and supported his children, driving all over New England with Harriet to watch high school and college basketball, field hockey, football and lacrosse games and trailered horses to countless competitions. He was happiest driving his team of beloved Percherons in parades, weddings and sleigh rides. He was generous and open to anyone in need. No one left his table hungry!

Al is survived by his wife, his "Big Doll", Harriet Tetrault; his son Eric and wife Linda Tetrault and grandsons Jake and Charlie of Santa Fe, NM; his daughter Wendy and husband Aaron Day and grandchildren Maurice and Fern of Windsor, VT; his daughter Cortney and husband Dillon Duncan and grandsons Blake and Jaxon of Kent, CT; his granddaughter Juliet Tetrault and her mother Ruth Baldwin of NY. He is predeceased by his son, Henri A. Tetrault, brother Richard Tetrault and his parents.

A private gathering will be held in Hatfield, MA in the spring, planting time. City Cremations Inc. 130 Carew St., Springfield, MA has been entrusted with arrangements.

To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.

Published by Daily Hampshire Gazette on Jan. 31, 2025.

Memories and Condolences
for Alfred Tetrault

19 Entries

Cassie Stewart

March 4, 2025

I only just heard of Al's passing. As a tenant of the Tetreault's I am very sad that Al is no longer with us. He was a wonderful man with a big heart. He treated his tenants as family and let our children play with the animals, showing off the baby goats in the spring. He took great care of us. He is greatly missed.

Linda Corliss Hansen

February 9, 2025

I just barely learned of Al's passing. I am so very sorry for your loss. I told my siblings he figures in many memories of Smith Academy sports & Hatfield farming & community participation. He hired me one Saturday to help, I think, finish planting cukes. When I worked at the Oxford Pickle Factory in the summer of '83, he would talk to me while unloading his cuke truck on my conveyor belt. I loved those chats talking about life in general, catching up on his family. He was always good to my family. You couldn't have been part of Hatfield back in the day without hearing of or from Al. And, Harriett, you were such a good friend to my mom. God bless you and your kids.

Tom Cross

February 6, 2025

Harriet, sorry to hear of Al´s passing. I remember the good times we had at our farm,King Oak when Al would haul his teams and wagon down for our fail rides. Al would never have a clock on the day, everyone got to ride and many a young person got to drive their first team of horses sitting next to Al. I know I will remember the good times he and you brought to our farm and Courtney with that little horse or pony that jumped so well and Al´s eyes lighting up when he spoke of Courtney doing so well with the horse. Al you were hurting back than my friend rest well and know your missed.

Diane Whitley Riordan

February 5, 2025

Uncle Al
You will always shine bright it my memory, and have filled my heart with so much love it is there forever.
You were My favorite Uncle. From as far back as I can remember I have so many memories .You were a mighty man. Strong in stature and personality, and Big at heart! I would visit with my family and yearly stay with Gram McWeeny for summer vacation. Gram knew she couldn't get me to your farm soon enough. Once there, I was part of the family . I watched you and Auntie Harriet as I grew up and learned from the hard work, energy and love for family. I just fit right in, always wanting to be a little farm girl. You knick named me "Your Little Toughie", and I kept up the best a little rural kid could.
Some of the best memories are life long as I'm now on the other side of 60 myself. Your oldest niece for sure!
Visiting the farm was most special! Learning of cows and horses and cucumber picking are historical now. I remember walking along the cow path with my cousin Eric. He was picking rhubarb and somehow I was over my head in cows. They followed us and just walked around me, as I yelled out, "Uncle Al where are you"?!!!! No doubt You found me! I was about 9 at this time. Another summer I visited and you were sterilizing piglets( but I didn't know this) outside the barn. You asked for my help in holding a piggy as you finished up one . With many more to go a little rust one was next. Nope I lifted that little piglet up and ran into the kitchen. He was named Root-beer and to this day I think he was spared. You got a big chuckle as I knew nothing of farm work like this. I wasn't having it. Another, one cold winter was bringing a newborn calf into the kitchen to stay warm near the wood stove. And yet another was bringing a baby sheep over to grams in the van. She would only let you get away with something like that! I remember the kitchen filled with canning jars of veggies and your jar with some mysterious pickling of the sort. Heck No !!!! I was't trying that! But I loved pickles! And worked hard along side the family, only to finish the day with a big swim, all of us perfumed in Ivory soap, and into the car we went for pizza and then ice cream, but not before a ride in your red Cadillac over the train bridge ... airborne! You were the coolest!!! No matter how busy you were you were always willing to hook up the horses and have us ride as kids. From sleigh rides to buggy rides you brought the joy of Country into many hearts. I was so proud to introduce my first born to you ! You laughed as out of the mouth of a three-year-old he told his joke. Hey uncle Al how do you catch a squirrel? You climb up a tree and act like a nut".
The greatest gift is love
You are forever loved.
Your niece,
Diane ( Whitley ) Riordan

Michael paniczko

February 3, 2025

Al was a great person. I remember him taking us boys all over the state to play basketball. He was the guy that groomed us all for that sport. May he rest in peace.

John Robert

February 2, 2025

Alfred was always a good friend to the Hatfield Schools. For years he would bring the kindergarten students on a horse drawn ride through Hatfield. My sincere condolences to Harriet and family.

Donald Schumacher

February 1, 2025

Al was a great man. He was my first employer picking peppers and onions as a young teen. He was my coach for basketball and baseball, I was probably his worst player but he always found something I could do to help the team. He was the closest thing to a mayor for the kids in town. He was always helping one of us with something. He will be missed but never forgotten. I still tell stories about what he did for me as recently as last week.
Rest in peace Alfie

Terry Sprecker

January 31, 2025

Oh, Harriet! I am so sorry! I met Al briefly many years ago - and truly felt that you two were a great match for each other. I am so sorry for your loss and hope those close to you have helped you endure this huge hole in your heart and your life. My thoughts are with you.

Kristen plourde

January 31, 2025

I remember Al´s smile so vividly, like I just saw it. I was thankful my sister and I got to grow up right next door to Al and Harriet. I remember going over and wanting to help him work with the horses or pick cucumbers or just hang around the barn. He taught me how to get a horsefly stinger out of my arm with mud. He made me not scared of garden snakes and taught me a few bad words that made Harriet and my mother blush! He was such a wonderful man, always so kind and worked so hard. I´ll miss his smile the most.

Michael W. Hogan

January 31, 2025

God Speed and God Bless Al!

You were one of a kind, when we first moved to Hatfield Al invited me over for a swim in his "Cement Pond" he told me to hold on a minute because he had to fix his diving board so I would not get hurt. The diving board was two pieces of wood, rough cut lumber, 2" x 8" by 8'. They were only nailed together, and in such a fashion that would give him a 12'-13' runway to jump into his "self" poured "ceement" pond. The journey up the pole to get fifteen feet in the air should have been left for a trapeze artist. I sat and watched him shimmy up the pole, and walk out the death plank. I seriously thought the plank would come apart. He walked out there like an olympic diver, true to form, Al did some fancy dive and when he hit the water there was little wake. Harriet came out and when Al surfaced she told him to stop showing off!!

Two of the best people from my Dads time on earth, again Al, rest peacefully, you have earned it!!!

Robert Szumowski

January 31, 2025

What a great man. His work ethic was like no other. He and his wife gave me my very first job on their farm. If we all could be so good.

Tom FitzGerald

January 31, 2025

Al was certainly larger than life and a true Renaissance man. Deepest condolences to Harriet and the family. sadly, they don't make 'em like Al anymore.

Ernie Fournier

January 31, 2025

Harriett, loved how he made you blush. Always liked Al.

Russ

January 31, 2025

When I was 13-14 years old I would pass by Alfie's house on my way to the res. He would summon me into his drive way to help him to do stuff. Hold something down so he could hammer on it, pull a motor and transmission out of a 55 Chevy with your bare hands and and a couple of 2X4s. Cool stuff like that. I am sure there are more than a few Leeds guys my age that have stories and memories as I.
He was a unique character with big heart. Rest well Alfie.

George (Lindy) Merriam

January 31, 2025

Alfi was our hero growing up in Leeds. We watched what he did because he could do anything and had the respect of everyone he encountered. If he was in your fox hole you were save from all harm. Watch out St Peter cause Alfi´s on his way. I would not say Rest in Piece because that´s not the Alfi I knew. He will rearrange the Purly Gates and it will be a better place. My world is a better place having been fortunate to have known him,,,

Charles Louis Tetrault

January 31, 2025

I will miss grandpa Al dearly. Although I was the picky and one person at the table that had a hard time finding stuff to eat grandpa Al much like my father would never give up trying to find things I like. Offering me every sort of food and farm grown fruit regardless of the countless number of no´s I responded with. He was a person I wish I had more time to get to know when he was in better health. Even so, in his somewhat disabled state clouded by discomfort and frustration. I could always feel an underlying sense of pride and hard work that I much saw in my father, his attitude towards life and his stubbornness to do what he felt was right was admirable, although being the youngest in the family, I was able to observe in what ways this was good and in what ways this was troublesome. Even though I knew him for very little of his life, I have learned deep life lessons that I will take with me to the grave. Rest well Al, you out of anyone I have met deserve it.

Ray Goodrow

January 31, 2025

Mrs. Tetreault and family. I will remember Al fondly. The many weekend and evening basketball games and practices stand out for me. Al's dedication to the kids of Hatfield will always be remembered. God Bless.

Carol and Ray Perkins

January 31, 2025

Harriet and family,
Just learned of Al's passing in December. So so very sorry to hear this sad news. He is now not in any pain and with our father, Bob Dostal, probably raising holy cane. He was so kind to hitch up his team of horses and bring Dad's casket to the cemetery which he filled Dad's dream in what he wanted done at the end of his life. . Dad and Mom always enjoyed spending time with you and Al. Prayers and strength go out to you all.

Donald Warburton

January 31, 2025

Hariet and family,

So sorry for your loss. I remember the time when I was just a young boy maybe 8 and Al did the excavation work for our new house. He was always a funny guy. Prayers are with you. Al, God speed and my he watch over you and family always.

Donny Warburton

Showing 1 - 19 of 19 results