THE REPUBLICAN Springfield, MA 25 May 2007 John J. Desroches 1934-2007 WESTFIELD, MASS. - John "Jay" Desroches was called home by God on May 22, 2007 after a courageous 24 year battle with cancer. Born in Holyoke on August 3, 1934 to the late Armand and Marie (Leeming) Desroches, Jay attended local schools in Holyoke and South Hadley and graduated from South Hadley High School in 1953. During his life, Jay was an independent sales representative for a number of insurance companies and retired from the sales department of the former Springfield Journal newspaper. Music was Jay's passion for years, and he played both alto and tenor saxophone with various area dance bands from the 1950s to the early 1980s, including his own dance band The Four Coachman. As electronic rock music became the preferred choice at weddings and social events, Jay turned his love of music to his church and played in the orchestras at both the Bethany Assembly of God in Agawam and the Westfield Assembly of God in Westfield during the early 1990's. Jay was the founder of The Power House Gang, an internet Christian group of prayer warriors from across the United States and Canada whose ministry was to pray for those in need of God's gentle, loving touch. Besides his wife of 20 years Patricia Abrum Desroches, Jay leaves three sons- Jack Desroches of South Hadley, Reverend Michael Desroches of Palm Coast, Florida and Reverend Jeffrey Desroches of Chicopee; his brother Phillip Desroches of Palatka, Florida; five grandchildren; a stepson Dean Majka of Virginia Beach, VA and his beloved little dog Joey. A memorial service will be held at Christ the King Evangelical Presbyterian Church, 297 Russell Road, Westfield on Wednesday, May 30th at 10 a.m. Burial will be private and at the convenience of the family. Calling hours are omitted. In lieu of flowers, donations would be greatly appreciated in Jay's memory to either the Spirit Life Worship Church Building Fund, P. O. Box 35225, Palm Coast, Fl. 32135 or to the Southwick Animal Shelter Building Fund, 11 Depot St. Southwick, MA 01077. firtionadams.com Published in The Republican on 5/25/2007. ============================== THE REPUBLICAN Springfield, MA 25 May 2007 Yvette Long 1917 - 2007 SOUTH HADLEY, MASS. - Yvette L. (Raymond) Long, 89, of South Hadley, died Tuesday, May 22, 2007 at the Holyoke Medical Center. Born in Chicopee on Aug. 22, 1917, she was the daughter of the late John & Albertine (Nadeau) Raymond. Yvette was a 1935 graduate of South Hadley High School. She was a cafeteria worker for the Town of South Hadley School System. She was also a member of St. Theresa's Church. Yvette was the wife of the late Francis J. Long who died in 1985, and she was also predeceased by an infant child. She is survived by a daughter, Frances Como and her husband James of South Hadley, her sons, William Long and his wife Mary of West Springfield, and Raymond Long and his wife Cynthia of South Hadley. She also leaves six grandchildren and four great-grandchildren. The Funeral for Yvette will be held on Saturday at 8 am from the Ryder Funeral Home, 33 Lamb St., South Hadley followed by a Funeral Mass in St. Theresa's Church, South Hadley at 9 am. Burial will follow in St. Rose Cemetery, South Hadley. Calling hours will be on Friday from 4-7 pm. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions to the American Diabetes Association, 306 Industrial Park Rd, Suite 105, Middletown, CT 06457 would be appreciated. Ryder Funeral Home #533-1735 Published in The Republican on 5/25/2007