Mary Louise Traversa, 76

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Mary Louise (Belanger) Traversa of Pittsfield, Mass., died Thursday, October 11, 2018, at Brigham & Women's Hospital in Boston, after a short illness. 

She was the widow of Robert L. Traversa, who died on June 21, 2016. They were married on April 19, 1965, at St Mark's Church.

She was born in Pittsfield on September 27, 1942, daughter of the late Hermon F. and Evelyn (McCumiskey) Belanger. She graduated from St. Joseph's High School in 1959, College of Our Lady of the Elms in 1963, and North Adams State College in 1970 with a Master's Degree. She taught in the Pittsfield Public Schools from 1963-1965, and in the Pittsfield Catholic Schools from 1978-2000.

She was a member of All Souls Church from 1965-2008, and of Sacred Heart Church from 2008 to present. She taught CCD from 1973 through 2018 at All Souls, Mt. Carmel and Sacred Heart churches and tutored with Literacy Volunteers of Berkshire County for many years.

She is survived by one daughter, Gail A. Briggs and her husband, Todd, of Lee; two sons, Dr. Brian Traversa and his wife, Christine, of Pittsfield, and Gary Traversa and his wife, Deanna, of Lanesborough; one sister, Pauline Stedman of Lee; three brothers, Anthony Belanger of Lenox, H. Tyrone Belanger of Lanesborough and Roger Belanger of Great Barrington; her sister-in-law, Vivian Montini of Lanesborough; seven grandchildren, Shane and Taylor Briggs, and Anthony, Dominic, Joseph, Talia and Luca Traversa; one great-grandchild, Harper Briggs; and many nieces and nephews.

Funeral notice: Services will take place Wednesday, October 17, 2018, at 9 a.m. from the Flynn & Dagnoli-Bencivenga Funeral Home, 5 Elm St., Pittsfield, MA 01201. A Liturgy of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 10 a.m. at Sacred Heart Church, 196 Elm St., Pittsfield, with the Rev. Michael F. Bernier, Pastor officiating.

Entombment will follow in St. Michael Archangel Mausoleum at St. Joseph's Cemetery. Calling hours at the funeral home will be Tuesday, October 16, 2018, from 4 to 7 p.m.  In Lieu of flowers, memorial donations are suggested to Sacred Heart Church or Pregnancy Support Services of Berkshire County in care of the funeral home.