Wilfred J. LACAS

CHICOPEE - Wilfred J. Lacas, Jr., 57, of Chicopee, formerly of West Springfield, died Thursday, December 30, 2004, at home. Born August 24, 1947, he was raised and schooled in West Springfield having lived there for most of his life before moving to Chicopee in 1999. He was the son of the late Wilfred J. and Eva (Harvey) Lacas, Sr. Wilfred was a graduate of West Springfield Senior High School, Class of 1966. A Navy veteran of the Vietnam War from 1967 - 1970 he served on the USS Dixie. He then served 19 years with the US Air Force 439th Reserves retiring as a Technical Sergeant in 1989. For 12 years Wilfred worked for the Town of West Springfield and then worked 18 years at the US Postal Bulk Mail Center in Springfield, retiring in 2002. He was a communicant of St. Louis de France Church, an active member of the men's Thursday night bowling league of Agawam, and a member of the American Legion, Post 420. He enjoyed attending the Springfield Falcons Hockey games and belonged to the teams Booster Club. He leaves his wife of 34 years, Donna L. (Plumador) Lacas; 2 daughters, Shelly M. Dansereau and her husband Brian, of Chicopee, and Melissa A. Therrien and her husband Joseph, of Agawam; his adopted daughter, Cynthia M. Veratti and her husband Vincent, of Three Rivers; a sister, Eileen Schmidt and her husband Ralph, of West Springfield; 2 sister-in-law, Katherine Lacas, of West Springfield and Mary Melcher, of Chicopee; and several nieces, nephews, great nieces and great nephews. He was predeceased in 2002 by his brother, Robert Lacas. Funeral services will be held Tuesday at 7:45 a.m. from the Kozikowski Funeral Home, 565 Front St., Chicopee, followed by a Mass of Christian Burial at 9 a.m. in St. Louis de France Church, 801 Main St., West Springfield. Burial with full military honors will follow in the Massachusetts Veterans Memorial Cemetery, Agawam. Calling hours at the funeral home are on Monday from 5:00 - 9:00 p.m. Memorial contributions may be made to the Baystate Visiting Nurse Association & Hospice, 50 Maple St., PO Box 9058, Springfield, MA 01102-9058. Published in The Republican on 1/2/2005.