EAST LONGMEADOW – Joseph F. Ross, 90, a longtime resident of East Longmeadow, was Called Safely Home on Friday, June 20, 2014. He passed into Eternal Life at the Soldiers Home in Holyoke surrounded by the care and comfort of his loving family, his wonderful caregivers and his comrades from World War II. He was born in Westfield on January 14, 1924, the beloved son of the late Frank Rzeznikiewicz and Helen (Zacek) Rzeznikiewicz. He was raised in Chicopee, graduated in 1941 from Chicopee High School and lived in Chicopee for many years before moving to East Longmeadow in 1959. Joe served his country in the United States Navy during World War II aboard the USS LST 653 and attained the rank of Radioman Third Class. Following his military service, he returned to Chicopee and furthered his education by graduating from Emerson College in Boston with Bachelor’s Degrees in Speech, Broadcasting and English. He later received a Master’s Degree in Education from Westfield State Teacher’s College and then furthered his education with graduate studies at UMass in Amherst. He began his teaching career at the former Springfield Trade High School and then Springfield Technical Institute, which later became Springfield Technical Community College. He was an English Professor at the college from 1967 to 1992 and chaired the English Department from 1970 to 1985. In 1992, Joe received an award as the Outstanding Faculty Member of the Year at STCC. He also received a Citation from Governor Michael Dukakis for his Outstanding Teaching Performance and was honored in Who’s Who Among American Teachers. In addition, he taught speech classes at Saint Alphonsus College and for the Diocese of Springfield Lay Diaconate Formation Program. Joe’s passion in life was being an English Professor and, for over 40 years, he never missed a day of teaching. He was a part time broadcaster at the former WHYN TV 40, which later became WGGB 40, and was also associated with various radio and television stations as a newswriter, newsman and staff announcer throughout New England and Utica, New York. During his leisure time, Joe was a longtime member of the Springfield Civitan Club where he served for several years as President, New England District Governor and Region Four Director. He was instrumental for many years in the club’s biggest fundraiser of their Special Holiday Fruitcakes. Many people looked forward to purchasing fruitcakes each year with the bulk of the proceeds used to assist many local organizations including the Special Olympics. Joe was a communicant of Saint Michael Church in East Longmeadow and was a longtime member of the Saint Michael Parish Knights of Columbus Council 9960, where he often lead the council meetings by giving the invocation. He was also a member of Archbishop Williams Assembly Fourth Degree of the Knights of Columbus. Besides his parents, he was predeceased by his loving daughter, Danielle V. Boudreau who was Called Home on July 29, 2012. He leaves his beloved wife and best friend, Colette J. (Grandchamp) Ross. They were married on September 4, 1950 at Saint John the Baptist Church in Lowell, Massachusetts and were blessed with over 63 years of happiness together. He leaves his four loving daughters, Francene C. Hoy and her husband, Arthur, of West Springfield, Jocelyn M. Buddington and her husband, Mark, of Reading, PA, Renee A. Vila of East Longmeadow, and Claudine N. LaValley and her husband, Jason, of Monson; his son-in-law, Joseph Boudreau of Chicopee; his 12 cherished grandchildren, Christine Casey and her husband, Robert, Kimberly Roush and her husband, Greg, Andrea McKinney and her husband, Robert, Joseph Boudreau, Jr,, Christopher Buddington and his wife, Lyndsey, Meredith Buddington and her husband, Jonathan Shearer, Stephanie Buddington and her husband, Thomas Smith, Elizabeth Buddington, Daryl Vila, Nicole Ouimet and her fiancé, Chris Amsden, Kristi Ouimet, and Cameron LaValley; his nine cherished great-grandchildren, Ethan Casey, Landon Roush, Daniel Buddington, Nathan Buddington, Alexander Buddington, Felix Shearer, Ivy Shearer, Bodhi Smith and Riley Amsden; his dear brother-in-law, Edward Elfenbein of Prescott, AZ; and his many dear nephews, nieces, cousins and extended members of the Ross, Rzeznikiewicz and Grandchamp families. His funeral will be held on Wednesday morning, June 25, 2014 beginning at the St. Pierre – Phaneuf Springfield Chapels, (413-737-1177), 7 Chapin Terrace, Springfield, MA 01107, (funeral home will open at 8 a.m.), followed by a Mass of Christian Burial at 9:30 a.m. in Saint Michael Church, 110 Maple Street, East Longmeadow, MA 01028. His Committal Service with US Navy Military Honors will follow the Mass at 11 a.m. in the Chapel at the Massachusetts Veterans’ Memorial Cemetery, 1390 Main Street, Agawam, MA 01001. His family will receive friends at the funeral home on Tuesday, June 24, 2014 from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. His family has requested that memorial donations be made in his memory to the Sisters of Saint Joseph, Mont Marie, 34 Lower Westfield Road, Holyoke, MA 01040 or the Dakin Pioneer Valley Humane Society, PO Box 6307, Springfield, MA 01101-6307. For more details, please visit: www.stpierrephaneuf.com