Maryanne "Sis" Noone

WEST SPRINGFIELD:  Maryanne “Sis” LaFond Noone of West Springfield, MA and Venice, FL died peacefully and surrounded by loving family and friends on New Year’s Day, 2020 after a long battle with lung disease.  Sis was raised in Monson, Massachusetts and was proud to be the daughter of Marion Flahive of Dingle, Ireland and John LaFond of Monson. Sis was raised in her family's business, the famed LaFond Brothers Steakhouse.  She helped prepare food and waited tables in the restaurant while growing up, even joining the vaudeville-style acts and singing waiters. It is probably there that she developed her lively sense of humor that she was so known for, and her collection of salty jokes that often brought the house down and occasionally caused the few straight-laced people in her life to blush. Sis had a decades-long and extremely formative relationship with Camp Mishnoah in Holland, Massachusetts.  She attended overnight camp every summer for the whole summer with beloved cousin Kay and an array of lifelong friends.  As she grew up, she became a counselor, then program director at camp. When her daughter Tara was a teenager and a counselor at Mishnoah, Sis returned as Director for several summers. Sis was a graduate of St. Anne's Academy, The Elms College and got her Master’s Degree at Westfield State College.  Although she started out in social work, Sis found her true calling in teaching and had a long career that gave her and many others much joy.  She was the kind of teacher who took her work home and graded til the late hours and mentored many students and young teachers. She had very special years at New North School, now known as Gerena Magnet School, in Springfield, MA.   She finished her career as Principal at Margaret C. Ellis School in Springfield.  Each step of the way, Sis accumulated more dear friends. She had an inexhaustible energy for her friendships and gave her friends the privilege of family.  Sis deeply identified with her Irish heritage and could often be heard singing or listening to Irish music.  Some of her fondest memories included long holiday dinners around her cousin Marion’s dining room table with all of her beloved cousins, singing the songs their Irish parents had taught them.  Her Catholic faith was a source of comfort and direction for Sis her whole life.  She volunteered at her parish in Venice Florida, distributed communion and was devoted to Catholic causes.  Anyone who knew her would also characterize her relationship with the New England Patriots as one of extreme piety and we suspect her spirit is sitting on Tom Brady’s shoulder right now. It is so hard to list all the people beloved to her because she loved her friends and family so fiercely.  She was pre-deceased by her brother John LaFond. She is survived by her daughter Tara, her son-in-law Scott, and her granddaughter Ava, who was the apple of her eye. Her nephew JP LaFond and her nephew Patrick LaFond and his family were dear to her. She was in daily contact with her cousin Kay Arthur and saw her as more of a sister than a cousin.  Sis was especially close to her niece Nora Padykula, nephew-in-law Rich and their children Bobby and Fiona, all of whom were devoted to Sis. Sis loved her many other cousins, nieces and nephews and incredible friends, all of whom contributed to her blessed life. She will be remembered for her signature phrase: "Keep the faith." The funeral will be held Monday January 6 at 8:45am from the Barry J. Farrell Funeral Home, 2049 Northampton Street, Holyoke, followed by a Mass of Christian Burial at 10:00am in Sacred Heart Church, 395 Chestnut Street, Springfield. Burial will be held in St. Thomas Cemetery, West Springfield. Calling hours at the funeral home are Sunday January 5 from 2:00 to 6:00pm. In lieu of flowers memorial contributions may be made in memory of Maryanne to the Springfield Boys and Girls Club, 481 Carew Street, Springfield, MA 01104.

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