Stella B. Rogers, 94, died peacefully on July 29, 2019, surrounded by love at Loomis Lakeside in Springfield. Born at home in West Springfield on October 23, 1924, Stella was the youngest of Fred Willis Barber and Lillian (Habel) Barber.Stella was predeceased by her parents and siblings Lucy and John (the twins), Winnifred, and Warren, as well as her first husband Charles J. Jourdain, Sr. in 1966 when her children were young and second husband Raymond E. Rogers in 2011. Stella always loved to sew, having been taught by her maternal grandmother as a young girl. After graduating from West Springfield High School in 1942, and working briefly as a bank messenger in Springfield, Stella was fortunate to attend the McDowell School of Design in New York’s garment district 1944-1945. She fondly told stories about her time in “the big city” including how she had participated in the Times Square V-E celebrations. Returning to West Springfield, Stella built up a successful business in her parents’ home thanks to her dressmaking, pattern making, tailoring, and millinery talents.Before retiring at age 80 and moving to Loomis Village in South Hadley, Stella estimated that she’d made 25 or so wedding gowns plus altered countless others. She also taught dressmaking and tailoring for over 30 years in the West Springfield Evening School Practical Arts program. Stella helped others all her life. She volunteered for the American Red Cross blood program for more than 35 years and was a “donut dolly” at the VA Hospital in Leeds for nearly 20 years. A dedicated “kitchen lady” at Mittineague (now West Springfield) United Methodist Church, she cooked for a number of food pantries, countless luncheons for town retirees, and fed hundreds of 4H’ers during the Big E for many years. Stella is survived by her daughter Janet Jourdain (Christine Walker) of Belchertown, son Charles (Jennifer) Jourdain, Jr. of Pleasant Hill, CA, step-son Robert Rogers of DE, grandsons Scott and Jeffrey Jourdain of CA, and numerous step-grandchildren. Sincere thanks to the wonderful people of both Loomis Village and Loomis Lakeside for their loving care. Visitation will be Friday, August 9th, 9 a.m. at Curran-Jones Funeral Home, 109 Main St., West Springfield, with a prayer service at 10, followed by burial at Hillcrest Park Cemetery, Springfield. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions in honor of Stella B. Rogers may be made to the American Red Cross, 150 Brookdale Drive, Springfield, MA 01104 or Loomis Communities, 20 BayonDrive, South Hadley, MA 01075. Please visit www. TazziniFuneralHome.com to sign Stella’s guestbook.
top of page
bottom of page
Comments