WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. —  Evelyn Barbara (Lachut) Sullivan passed away peacefully on June 30 surrounded by her family.

She was born on April 21, 1936, in Ware, Massachusetts, to Sophie and Joseph Lachut. Evelyn—known to most as Evie—and her younger brother, Philip, were raised with a large extended family including her aunts and cousins who were often in and out of each other’s houses.

After graduating from Ware High School, Evelyn went on to earn a degree from The Elms College and pursued teaching. She starting dating Raymond Sullivan, also of Ware, during collegeand on one of their first dates they went to a small restaurantacross from the Quabbin. They were the only ones there and Raymond played “Harbor Lights” on the jukebox and he asked Evelyn to dance. She thought it was sweet and romantic and after that there was no turning back and they were married a year later. Up until Raymond’s passing in 1984, he would often give her small books and poems about life and love.

Family was everything to Evelyn and she and Ray’s greatest joys were their five children who they raised in Williamstown, Massachusetts. She said raising children was her #1 priority and her best advice to raise kids is to be ‘hands on’, with a little bit of luck along the way. Evelyn was the most devoted Mom and GMA (her chosen nickname for Grandmother), and her joy came from spending time with and cheering on her children andgrandchildren in their sports, recitals, academics, and passions.She loved Cape Cod, the Berkshires, ice cream, the Red Sox, and more than anything -- reading. To celebrate her 90th birthday, each of her grandchildren gave her one of their favoritebooks to read.

Evelyn was a dedicated teacher for many years at Williamstown Elementary School, also finishing a master’s degree while teaching and raising her family. Countless children benefitted from her passion and creativity in the classroom, and she also mentored colleagues along the way. Evelyn always wanted to make things better for those that followed her, and she served on the committee for a new elementary school building, completed in 2002. What mattered most to her was never recognition, but the children and the lives she shaped.

In retirement, she moved to Amherst to be closer to her family. Evelyn was full of generosity for everyone she met and spent a lot of her free time volunteering to help others especially at the Hospice Shop. She also texted her family every day with updates of happenings and about life in Amherst – signing off always with “love you lots.”

Evelyn died at the age of 90 and leaves behind her children John and wife Shelly of Groton MA., Raymond and wife Tati of Holyoke MA., Patrick of Alma CO., Melissa and husband Nickof Simsbury CT., and Suzanne and husband Patrick of Amherst MA. She also had eleven grandchildren: Cam (Leigh) Sullivan, Jamie (Madison) Sullivan, Anthony Sullivan, Caroline Sullivan, Dawson Sullivan, Sophie Schilling, S. Patrick Sullivan, Jack Skottegaard, April Schilling, Jenna Schilling, Meredith Skottegaard and great grandchildren Aidan Sullivan and Reilly Sullivan. She also is survived by her brother Philip (Janice) of Bondsville, MA. Her zest for life and deep faith live on in each of us.

Liturgy of Christian Burial to celebrate the life of Evelyn Sullivan will beon Thursday, July 9th, at 11:00 AM at St. Brigid’s in Amherst. Calling hours will precede at 9:30a.m. on the 9th at Douglass Funeral Service in Amherst. To honor her passion for giving back and many hours spent volunteering, donations in her memory may be made to the Hospice of the Fisher Home in Amherst, Massachusetts.