Belchertown- Howard Mark Phoenix, 69, passed away April 23, 2025. He was born on December 29, 1955 in Springfield, MA to the late Robert and Clarice (Vaughn) Phoenix. Howard graduated from Belchertown High School in 1973, and proudly served his country in the US Army, serving a deployment in Germany. Howard worked at the Belchertown State School in various roles and later worked in private care following the school's closing. Howard had a great appreciation for nature and the outdoors. He loved fishing, hunting and hiking. Most of all, he loved spending time with his family.Howard was preceded in death by his parents, Robert and Clarice Phoenix, and his siblings, Robert and Willard Phoenix. He will be dearly missed by his daughter, Ashley J. Phoenix, and her son, Zane; his siblings, Janet Collina, Joanne London, Kenneth Phoenix, and Theresa Twining; as well as many extended family and friends.Visitation will be held on Monday, May 5, 2025 from 10:00am-12:30pm at the Beers & Story Belchertown Funeral Home. A graveside service will immediately follow in Forestdale Cemetery at 1:00pm. For those wishing, donations in Howard's memory can be made to the Belchertown VA Services payable to the Town of Belchertown, Attn: Veterans' Gift Fund, 2 Jabish St. Belchertown, MA 01007.