Elaine Marie Bertoli, 55 of Mill River, Mass., died Sunday, December 27, 2015 at her sister’s home surrounded by her loving family. Elaine was born in Great Barrington on July 20, 1960 daughter of Robert J. and Mary (McCormick) Boland. Elaine grew up on Meadow and Main streets in Housatonic, the middle daughter of five girls.
She began working with children by babysitting and running the summer program at the Housatonic Playground and Old Maids swimming hole.
She graduated from Monument Mountain Regional High School in 1978 and graduated from North Adams State College in 1982 with a degree in Sociology.
In October of 1982 she married the love of her life, Don Bertoli where they began what would be 33 years of a devoted partnership.
She worked at Avalon School with children with special needs. She was an aide and social worker at Willowood Nursing Home.
She changed to working in education as a paraprofessional at Stockbridge Plain School and for 10 years as Mrs. Andersen’s sidekick at Monterey kindergarten.
Nights and summers she returned to school and received her degree in elementary education at Westfield State. She became a kindergarten teacher at Farmington Regional Elementary School. She again returned night and summer trips to Westfield State College to get her Masters in Education in Childhood Education.
She enjoyed gardening, hiking, biking, snowshoeing, bird watching, and gathering with friends and family.
She enjoyed trips to Colorado and Utah, to places like Mesa Verde, Zion and the Grand Canyon.
In the Northeast she loved visiting Acadia, the White Mountains, Newport Rhode Island and there were the annual summer vacations at the Cape where she loved the beach and became a mean boogie boarder.
After her cancer diagnosis in 2012 she continued to enjoy walks along the Konkapot, summer vacation at the Cape, school sports and band events.
She got to meet her first grandchild, Adalie, and attend her daughter Shannon’s wedding.
She never lost her compassion and sense of humor, or her hearty appetite for food and life. We will miss her.
In the end it will be Elaine’s family, the friends she made and the children she taught who will remain her living legacy.
Elaine is survived by her husband Donald Bertoli of Mill River, her mother Mary Boland of Great Barrington, two daughters, Joelle Bertoli and husband Matthew Collingwood and Shannon Lashoones and husband Justen of Canaan, Conn.; four sisters, Mary Beth Pelletier and husband Harold of Northfield, Mass., Maureen Seward and husband William of Great Barrington, Margi Stalker and husband Norman of Great Barrington and Patricia Boland and husband Philip Newey of Stockbridge, and one granddaughter, Adalie Collingwood.
Funeral Services for Elaine Bertoli who died December 27 will be held on Saturday January 2 with a Liturgy of Christian Burial at 10 a.m. at Blessed Theresa of Calcutta Parish Corpus Christi Church with the Rev. William P. Murphy, pastor, officiating. Family will receive friends on Friday, January 1 from 2 to 5 p.m. at the BIRCHES-ROY FUNERAL HOME, 33 South St., Great Barrington MA 01230. In lieu of flowers expressions of sympathy in Elaine’s memory may be made to the New Marlborough Library in care of BIRCHES-ROY FUNERAL HOME, 33 South St., Great Barrington MA 01230. Condolences may be made through birchesroyfuneralservices.com.
