Gail Marie (Dudley) Talbot, 80, a longtime resident of Springfield was called safely home on Sunday, April 19. She is now at peace in the loving arms of her parents, the late Chester and Dorothy (Gilligan) Dudley. Gail was born on November 1, 1934, in Holyoke, MA. She was a proud graduate of Holyoke High School and continued her education at Westfield State College. She was a longtime devoted parishioner of Holy Cross Church in Springfield. Gail loved taking care of her family and home, and very much enjoyed socializing with her many kind neighbors and friends. She is survived by her loving husband of 50 years, Charles A. Talbot of Springfield whose tireless and heroic care brought her much comfort in her final years; her loving children, Diane M. Beauregard and her husband, David, of Chicopee, Maureen G. Talbot of Westfield, and James M. Talbot and his spouse, Christopher Mo, of Orlando, FL; her siblings, Chester Dudley, Jr. of Holyoke, James Dudley of Naples, FL, Dorothy Dudley of Hartford, VT, and Michael Dudley and Edna Prechtel both of Holyoke; her cherished granddaughter, Danielle Beauregard of Chicopee and by many nieces and nephews. Funeral services for Gail will be held on Friday, April 24, beginning at 7:30 a.m. from Hafey Springfield Chapels, 494 Belmont Ave., followed by a Mass of Christian Burial at 8:30 a.m. at Holy Cross Church, 221 Plumtree Rd., Springfield. Burial will follow after the Mass at the Massachusetts Veterans’ Memorial Cemetery in Agawam. Family and friends are invited to gather on Thursday, April 23, for calling hours from 3-7 p.m. at the funeral home. In lieu of flowers, donations in Gail’s name may be made to the Jewish Nursing Home, 770 Converse St., Longmeadow, MA 01106 where Gail’s brief stay was marked by an amazing level of care and compassion, or to the Alzheimer’s Association, 264 Cottage St., Springfield, MA 01104 to assist in their search for an end to the scourge of dementia. www.hafeyfuneralservice.com

[Published in The Springfield Republican from Apr. 21 to Apr. 22, 2015]