CHICOPEE – Donald F. “Papa” Gosselin, 79, of the Fairview section of Chicopee, was Called Safely Home on Friday, February 6, 2015. He passed into Eternal Life from his home surrounded by the care and comfort of his loving family. He was born at home on Broadway Street in the Chicopee Falls section of Chicopee on October 16, 1935, a beloved son of the late Ernest J. and Mary Ann (Bialas) Gosselin. He was raised in Chicopee, attended local schools and was a lifelong resident of Chicopee. He served his country in the United States Air Force Reserve and attained the rank of Airman First Class.He previously worked as a truck driver for Mobil Oil in Springfield. In 1970, he joined the Chicopee Fire Department and spent most of his career at Station 8 on Britton Street before retiring in 1999. He actually could have been a “taste tester” for Friendly's Ice Cream as he always had a “stash” of his favorite flavors close at hand. Most of all, he loved his family and showered them with his love and affection which was returned to him a thousand fold. During his younger years, he enjoyed tinkering on cars and motorcycles. Don was always ready for a family game night and the usual Saturday evening card game. He enjoyed sitting on his porch and chatting with people as they passed by his home. He was a communicant of Saint Anne Church in Chicopee. He leaves his beloved wife and best friend, Alice E. (Clark) Gosselin. They were married on October 20, 1956 at the former Saint Mary of the Assumption Church in Willimansett and were blessed with over 58 years of happiness together. He also leaves his devoted children, Donald M. Gosselin and his wife, Beverly, and Darla M. Gibb and her husband, Bruce, all of Chicopee, Dayle M. Barnard and her husband, Bob, of Granby, and Daniel M. Gosselin and his wife, Trish, and David M. Gosselin and his wife, Eva, all of Westfield; his seven cherished grandchildren, Brendon Gibb, Laura Gibb, Jillian Barnard, Ashley Watkins, Daniel Gosselin, II, Jessica Gosselin, and David Gosselin, Jr.; his dear sister-in-law, Jewel Gosselin of Florida; his dear brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law of the Clark family, Ronald Clark and his wife, Noreen, Charles Clark and his wife, Maxine, Frances Theroux and her husband, Bob, Patricia Przybyla and her husband, Joe, Eileen Urian and her husband, Dick, Ronna “Cookie” Ethier and her husband, Dave, Eleanor Piotrkowski and her husband, Karol, Renee Burns,Mildred Clark, and Doris Clark; and his many dear nephews, nieces, cousins, friends and extended members of the Gosselin and Clark families. Besides his parents, he was also predeceased by his dear brother, Ernest F. Gosselin; his dear brothers-in-law and sister-in-law of the Clark family, George Clark, Don Clark, Jeff Burns, Don Puduski and his wife, Loretta Puduski. His funeral will be held on Thursday morning, February 12, 2015 beginning at the St. Pierre – Phaneuf Fairview Chapels, (413-533-3307), 506 Britton Street, Chicopee, MA 01020, (funeral home will open at 8:30 a.m.), followed by a Mass of Christian Burial at 10 a.m. in Saint Anne Church, 30 College Street, Chicopee, MA 01020. His burial will follow the Mass at Saint Rose Cemetery, 49 Olsen Street, Chicopee, MA 01020. His family will receive friends at the funeral home on Wednesday, February 11, 2015 from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. The parking lot is located in the rear of the funeral home. His family has requested that memorial donations be made in his memory to the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, Greater Connecticut Western Massachusetts Chapter, 3rd Floor, 20 Batterson Park Road, Farmington, CT 06032. For more details, please visit:www.stpierrephaneuf.com