Obituary of Stelly Grace Brunelle

Stelly Grace (née Estelle Grady) Brunelle, age 70, of Sparrowbush, New York passed away peacefully Sunday, May 1, 2022 at her home with her family by her side. Stelly was born on November 4, 1951 in Springfield, Massachusetts, the daughter of William H. and Estelle (Kelley) Grady. Stelly was married for over 50 years to Thomas R. Brunelle, who survives at home. She is also survived by her six children: Gregory Brunelle, Colleen (Brunelle) Felder, Meghan Brunelle, Courtney Brunelle Kim, Derek Brunelle, and Will Brunelle, along with their spouses; her beloved grandchildren, Grady Brunelle, Colin Brunelle, Grace Brunelle, Thomas Felder, Jackson Brunelle, Allie Felder, Joshua Kim, and Willa Phillips Brunelle; her siblings, and several nieces and nephews. Stelly was passionate about providing an inclusive educational environment for all children and ensuring every child felt cared for and safe. Over a period of more than 30 years, she served as an elected member of four local school boards in the communities where the family lived. In addition, she volunteered for various Parent-Teacher Organizations. Stelly was also passionate about politics, and worked to elect Democrats when she could. She believed we should leave the world better than we found it and passed those values on to her family. She was a force to be reckoned with, not just in her family but in the world around her. In addition, Stelly rescued many cats and dogs; caring for animals was in her nature, and there were never too many in her life. Stelly graduated from Classical High School in Springfield, MA in 1969 and continued her education at Holyoke Community College, earning an Associates Degree. A Celebration of Life in honor of Stelly will be held Sunday, June 5, 2022 from 2-4 pm at the Riverview Inn, Matamoras, Pennsylvania. Memorial contributions may be made to Alzheimer’s Disease Research, a BrightFocus Foundation Program, 22512 Gateway Center Drive, Clarksburg, MD 20871 (brightfocus.org/stopAD) or AnimalKind NY, 721 Warren St., Hudson, NY 12543 (animalkindny.org). Arrangements are by the Knight-Auchmoody Funeral Home, 154 E. Main St., Port Jervis, NY. For information, or to send a condolence note to the family, visit knight-auchmoody.com