CHICOPEE ~ Shirley A. (Gross) Niemiec, 71, of the Chicopee Falls section of Chicopee, was Called Safely Home on Thursday, August 16, 2018. She passed into Eternal Life at her home surrounded by the care and comfort of her loving family. She was born in Leitchfield, Kentucky on April 3, 1947, a beloved daughter of the late Ellis Gross and Lena Loretta (Skaggs) Gross Pratt. She was raised in Kentucky and her family later moved to Rouses Point, New York where she graduated from Northeastern Central High School. After her marriage in 1968, she moved to Massachusetts with her husband, Bob, who was in the United States Air Force and was stationed at Westover Air Force Base. She attended Holyoke Community College where she received a certificate in Early Childhood Education. She was employed as a Preschool Teacher at the Westover Headstart. She leaves her beloved husband and best friend, Richard Robert “Bob” Niemiec. They were married on March 16, 1968 at Saint Mary Church in Champlain, New York and were blessed with over 50 years of happiness together. She leaves her four loving children, Roger E. Roy of Chicopee, Anthony C. Niemiec and his wife, Joann, of Chicopee, Trina M. Schell-Raupff and her husband, Thomas, of Mount Dora, FL, and Bryan H. Niemiec and his wife, Astrid, of Christianburg, VA; her seven cherished grandchildren, Ryan Roy, William Riley, Heather Riley, Katie Schell, Hunter Schell, Alicia Bobrowski and Chelsea Niemiec; her four cherished great-grandchildren, Kamryn Riley, Joseph Riley, Magdalena Riley and Natasha Riley; her four dear sisters, Barbara Castine and her husband, Marcel, of Kissimmee, FL, Linda Fosher and her husband, John, of Rouses Point, NY, Anna Borden and her husband, Robert, of Saint Albans, VT and Laverne Virgil and her husband, Roger, of Franklin, PA; her dear sister-in-law, Kathy Gross of Glendora, NJ; and her many dear nephews, nieces, cousins, friends, and extended members of the Niemiec, Gross, Skaggs and Pratt families. Besides her parents, she was also predeceased by her two dear brothers, Curtis Pratt and Edward Gross; and her dear sister, Mary Pratt. Her Committal Service will be held on Friday, August 24, 2018 at 9 a.m. in the Chapel at the Massachusetts Veterans’ Memorial Cemetery, 1390 Main Street, Agawam, MA 01001. There are no visiting hours at the St. Pierre – Phaneuf Aldenville Chapels, (413-532-9806), 13 Dale Street, Chicopee, MA 01020. For more details, please visit: www.stpierrephaneuf.com