SPRINGFIELD – The earthly journey of Attorney Victor N. Gagnon, 82, ended on Wednesday, January 20, 2021 when God called him home after a lifetime of cardiac struggles. Born in Holyoke on November 29, 1938 to Victor N. and Lillian (Beauregard) Gagnon, he married Frances (Rozkuszka) Gagnon in 1963. Victor graduated from the University of Massachusetts with Honors in 1960 and received his first Law Degree from the New England School of Law in Boston in 1965, where he soon headed the Law Library and served on the Faculty from 1965 to 1968. A recipient of a Ford Foundation Fellowship in 1966, Victor received a Master of Laws Degree in a special program for Law Professors at New York University Law School. Admitted to the Massachusetts Bar Association in 1965, Victor argued on behalf of State Representative David Vigneault before the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court a key case resulting in overdue reapportionment of Massachusetts as mandated constitutionally in the “one man, one vote” rule. Moving home to Springfield in 1968, Victor joined the Massachusetts Defenders Committee Public Counsel where he worked until his retirement in 2005 as a Senior Trial Attorney having tried thousands of major criminal cases from murder to robbery. Victor also taught many Law Courses at Western New England School of Law, Holyoke Community College and Springfield Technical Community College which all offered programs designed for police officers. He was active in many civic, cultural and social justice organizations including the McKnight Neighborhood Council where he owned an historic 1888 home since 1968. In 1971, Massachusetts Governor Francis Sargent appointed Victor to a special committee which prevented the diversion of water from the Connecticut River for use in Boston. In 2014, the Saint Thomas More Society of the Diocese of Springfield presented him with an annual award for legal work. Along with his wife, Victor was a communicant of the Cathedral of Saint Michael the Archangel in Springfield where Victor once served on the Parish Council and numerous committees. He was also a corporator and member of the Springfield Museums at the Quadrangle for over 40 years. He leaves his wife of 57 years, Frances; and his two sons, Greg of Nagoya, Japan and Mark of Long Beach, CA. Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, his funeral arrangements are private. A memorial service for Victor will be held a later date. There are no visiting hours. His funeral arrangements are entrusted to the St. Pierre-Phaneuf Springfield Chapels, (413-737-1177), 7 Chapin Terrace, Springfield, MA 01107. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made in Victor’s memory to the Cathedral of Saint Michael the Archangel, 260 State Street, Springfield, MA 01103 or the Springfield Museums, 21 Edwards Street, Springfield, MA 01103. For more details and to leave his family online condolences, please visit: www.stpierrephaneuf.com