Josephine Ann Hillios, of Chicopee, passed away, surrounded by her loving family, on Feb. 27, 2025 at the age of 79. She was born in Westfield, MA on Jun. 9, 1945 to the late Victor and Helen Banel. She was raised in Westfield, MA and graduated from Westfield State University where she met her closest friends, who she still met with regularly over the last 50 years. Joann (as she liked to be called) graduated with Bachelor’s degree in Education and was a proud third grade teacher at St. Stanislaus School in Chicopee where she taught for over 30 years; retiring in 2016.
Joann married the love of her life, the late Melvin Hillios and settled in Chicopee, MA to raise their 4 wonderful children. Joann loved spending time and celebrating life with her children, grandchildren, her beloved siblings, her closest and dearest girlfriends and all her extended family. Family was everything to Joann. She was also an avid New England sports fan, proud Elks Lodge #61, Red Hat, Babes and Bonnets, and Sesame Seed member, Club 13 bowler, ruthless Pitch player and the driving force of our family business, Hillios Novelties. Joann was a proud Catholic and believed deeply in the values of the Catholic Church and God’s love.
Joann’s greatest love was her 4 children. She was the mom of Candice Siegenthaler and her husband, Michael Siegenthaler, Tara Paquette and her husband, John Paquette, Jr. and children Adrianna and Caleb, the late Timothy Hillios and his wife, Sarah Hillios, Matthew Hillios and his fiancée, Dieu Nguyen. She was also the proudest grandma of her 7 grandchildren, Anna Lydia, Mathias, Melvin, Madison, Alexa, Chase and Cameron . She also leaves behind her cherished siblings, Irene Liquori and Victor Banel, goddaughter, Tina Kuras, many nieces, nephews, cousins, friends and her extended Polish and Greek families.
Visiting hours will be held at the Grise Funeral Home, 280 Springfield St, Chicopee on Wed., March 5th from 4:00 to 8:00pm. A funeral service will be held on Thurs., March 6th from 9:30-10:30 AM at the Grise Funeral Home followed by a Mass of Christian burial in the Basilica of Saint Stanislaus, 566 Front St., Chicopee. Burial to follow in Forestdale Cemetery, 30 Cabot St.,Holyoke. Family and friends are respectfully welcome to attend. In lieu of flowers, you are welcome to make a donation to the Springfield Lodge of the Elks #61, Scholarship Fund, 440 Tiffany St. Springfield, MA 01108 for the love of education. For online condolences, please visit www.GriseFH.com.