HADLEY
Wayne Paul Asselin, 78, passed peacefully at home in Hadley, MA on May 21, 2021. Wayne was born in Holyoke, MA on September 26, 1942. He was predeceased by his parents Dawley and Esther (Waddington) Asselin, stepfather Harold Broderick, his beloved sons Chris and Dana Asselin, his brother-in-law Dan Curran, and his life-long friend Joe Premont. Wayne is survived by his wife and best friend Patricia McCarthy Asselin; mother-in-law Hilda Gruber; daughter Carrie Quenneville and her husband Shane (of South Dennis, MA); sisters Marlene Asselin Curran and Donna Asselin Bartosz; brother Shawn Asselin and his wife Sue; and six beloved grandchildren: Zaq & Aurora Quenneville; and Garrett, Abigail, Weston & Carson Asselin. Wayne also leaves his nephews Jim O’Donnell, Lance and Eric Bartosz, and their families; Shawn and Jeffrey Asselin and niece Jessica Asselin; his former wives: Ann Marten and Joyce Smith; and many cousins, relatives and close friends.
Wayne graduated from Holyoke High School and soon enlisted in the US Army. Upon return from a tour of duty in Africa, he became a successful entrepreneur in the automobile business. Known to many as “Wonderful Wayno”, he was a larger than life character who left a lasting impression wherever he went. He knew how to live in the moment, had a keen wit, and a robust sense of humor. Wayne had a passion for cars and also enjoyed boating on Otis Reservoir and the CT River. He had a memory like a vault, especially when it came to details about cars. Wayne found joy in the little things in life, including lobster with melted butter and chocolate milkshakes. He had a major sweet tooth, and enjoyed road trips to the seaside with Patty. Above all, Wayne loved his family wholeheartedly.
In 2001 Wayne founded Mountain View Auto Sales, and worked alongside his wife Patty at her Creamy Delights ice cream stand, on Route 47 in Hadley. There Wayne could be found talking about cars and enjoying the view of Mount Holyoke Range, with a perfectly spiraled twist in one hand while petting a dog named Rex with the other. Wayne named all his furry best friends Rex, and spending time with them was high on his favorites list, right up there with watching westerns on “color TV”. He looked out for others constantly and was well known for his extreme generosity, often gifting loved ones with special pens, watches, and even cowboy boots. Gifts that were pre-owned by Wayne made them all the more precious, as the stories behind the gifts made them meaningful.
Wayne’s quality of life and length of life was vastly improved by the loving care of his wife Patty. His family is forever grateful for her devotion. They would also like to thank the many medical professionals who cared for Wayne throughout years of treatment for COPD and blood cancer, especially Dr. Kenneth Bauer and the nurses at the hematology & oncology clinic at Jamaica Plain VA Medical Center and the staff at Cooley Dickinson Hospital & their Home Hospice.
Wayne will be forever missed, but certainly never forgotten. We gain comfort in knowing he is back with his boys, hopefully riding dirt bikes and snowmobiles, playing arcade games or hanging at the A-frame in Otis. Memorial donations can be made to Bestfriends.org or AmericanLung.org.
Family and friends are welcome to attend services, beginning with interment, on Tuesday, June 8, at 10:00 am, at the St. Jerome Cemetery in Holyoke. Directly following the interment, all are welcome to a Celebration of Life, including remembrances and lunch, at the Summit View, 555 Northampton Street in Holyoke.
Barry J. Farrell Funeral Home is overseeing arrangements.
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