Karen Ann Shields

"Florence-Karen A. Shields, 53, of Maple St. passed away at her home on December 30, 2009. Born in Springfield, MA, she was the daughter of the late Gerald Shields and Lorraine (Dupuis) Almeida of Leeds. Karen attended Thorndike Grammar School, graduated from Palmer High School and attended Greenfield Community College. Karen was a creative force in the operation of Caffe Roscoe, an Italian Restaurant/Jazz Club owned by her brother Jerry in Providence, RI. In later years, she was a manager at Sylvester's Restaurant in Northampton. Karen became ill while working for Smith College Food Services and later retired in 2003. She will be missed by her mother Lorraine Shields Almeida along with her son Matthew Shields of Northampton, sister Colleen Cloutier and her husband Donald of Belchertown, and brother Gerald Shields of Boston along with many aunts, uncles, and cousins. Karen was predeceased by her father Gerald, her stepfather, Ludgero Almeida along with her wonderful grandparents Wilfred and Helen (Murphy) Dupuis of Palmer and Luke and Annie (Fagan) Shields of Monson as well as her longtime life partner Paul St. Ives, who died March 2, 2009. Visitation will be Monday Jan. 4th from 9:30-10:30 a.m. at the Beers & Story Palmer Funeral Home followed by an 11:00 a.m. mass of Christian burial at St. Thomas Church with burial to follow in the parish cemetery. "