Barbara Celeste Racicot

Agawam - Barbara Celeste (Murphy) Racicot, 90, passed away peacefully surrounded by her children and grandchildren on Wednesday, June 13, 2018. Born in Newburyport, MA to the late Walter and Edna (Lindsay) Murphy, she graduated from The High School of Commerce in 1946 and attended Springfield Technical Community College. She and Dr. Raymond Racicot married in 1952 and lived in East Longmeadow for over 50 years, raising three children: Steven, Paul (wife Susan) of Springfield, and Celeste (partner Michael) of Hot Springs, AR. She was “Granny Peeps” to grandchildren, Nicole, Eric, and Marcy (husband Nicholas). Above all, her family was the center of her life and her greatest joy. She will be dearly missed. Talented with numbers, Barbara worked as a bookkeeper for various companies. A lifelong volunteer, she enjoyed giving of her self and time to others, including Leeds VA Hospital, Cub Scouts, Passionist Monastery, Shriners Hospital, PTA, East Longmeadow Scholarship Foundation, and her most beloved Loaves and Fishes Soup Kitchen for 20 years. Additionally, Barbara and Dr. Ray played a huge role in supporting their children in creative and performing arts. Their house was always rockin’ and a rollin’! Funny and full of laughter, Barbara was the hit of every gathering and no secrets were safe when she began analyzing handwriting. She held a certification with honors from the International Graphoanalysis Society of Chicago. Barbara loved bocce ball, gardening, creative writing, playing the piano and hosting limbo parties. She made a mean pot roast and oh, those Swedish meatballs. She was a talented artist and crafts person who generously shared her art with others. She was predeceased by Dr. Ray in 2007 after 54 years of marriage, son Steven in 2014, and siblings W. Paul Murphy, Daniel Murphy, Joan Hardy, Edna Shea, Mona Sypek and Roberta Driscoll. She is survived by siblings Ada Ball, Joyce Durkin, Joseph Murphy, Thomas Murphy, her lifelong friend Barbara Smith Racicot, her “udder” daughter, Monya Tober, and many nieces and nephews. The family is grateful to the staff at The Atrium at Cardinal Drive for their kind and considerate care. Family and friends are invited to visiting hours on Monday, June 18th from 4-7PM at Forastiere Smith Funeral and Cremation, 220 North Main St., East Longmeadow. A Funeral Mass will be held Tuesday, June 19th at 11:30AM in St. Michael’s Church, 128 Maple St., East Longmeadow followed by committal service in the Massachusetts Veterans’ Memorial Cemetery Chapel, Agawam. Donations may be made to Open Pantry Community Services Inc., Loaves and Fishes Kitchen, P.O. Box 5127, Springfield, MA 01101-5127. Please visit www.forastiere.com to share a memory or leave a condolence for the family.