Alice R. Piechota

Belchertown—Alice (Roberts) Piechota, 91, passed away peacefully at her residence on Saturday, May 29, 2021. Daughter of the late Wallace A. and Lottie Mae (Smart) Roberts, she was born in Palmer on June 5, 1929. After graduating high school, Alice worked diligently at Friendly’s in Ware to put herself through beauty school, eventually owning her own salon, Alice’s Beauty Shop, Thorndike Street in Palmer. In addition to owning and operating her Beauty Shop, she worked many jobs, one of her proudest accomplishments besides her family was in her later years she enrolled in a graphic arts program at Holyoke Community College and got a job at Turley Publications. She loved her job and everyone there. She worked in to her eighties before finally retiring. Alice loved to do arts and crafts, she especially loved to do toll and decorative painting. She used to love polka dancing and would travel all over New England with her husband John following their favorite polka bands. They also loved Cape Cod, one her favorite times was a family trip when they took her and John driving through the sand dunes and on to the beach for a cookout. Alice loved family visits and holidays. She loved her trips to the Quabbin with her niece Janie and her stop after at McDonald's for her favorite meal, a cheeseburger! In 2019 she moved in to Christopher Heights Assisted Living in Belchertown. She loved decorating her new apartment and quickly made friends with the residents and the staff there. She loved to play cards, especially pitch with her best friend, Ann Genero, and her visits with her dear friends, Bob and Ruth Wordsworth. She even started playing bingo, which she said she'd never do! She loved everyone there and they loved her! Alice will be dearly missed by all who knew her, including her loving children John Piechota Jr and his wife Dominique of Bondsville, Michael Piechota of Wales, Catherine Reim and her husband David of Palmer, and Frank Piechota and his wife Tammy of Thorndike; her grandchildren John Piechota III, Benjamin Reim, Michael Piechota, Brandon Reim, Alex Piechota; her great grandchildren Sean Piechota and Hannah Reim; many nieces and nephews; as well as many other extended family members and friends. In addition to her parents, Alice was predeceased by her husband, John, in 2001 and her son Michael's wife, whom she adored, Nancy Piechota, in 2002; and her three brothers Edward, Wallace and Earl. Visitation will be Friday, June 4 from 9:30-10:30am at Beers & Story Palmer Funeral Home, 1475 N. Main St. prior to Alice's Funeral Mass in St. Thomas the Apostle Church beginning at 11:00am. Rites of Committal and Interment to follow in St. Thomas Cemetery. The family would like to thank all of the staff at Christopher Heights for their compassionate care and kindness Alice and her family received. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be made to Shriners Hospitals for Children by visiting https://donate.lovetotherescue.org/ or to a charity of one's choice.