Marie (Brooks) LaPlante

Marie (Brooks) LaPlante, 66, of Hatfield, passed away peacefully at her home surrounded by her loving family on Saturday October 26, 2024. She was born in Northampton on February 21, 1958, to the late Donald Brooks and Mathilda (Dorsch) Brooks of Hatfield. She was a graduate of the former St. Michael’s School and had worked as a Rehabilitation Tech and most recently an activities assistant for CareOne at Northampton for 40 years before retiring in June. She always had a positive and upbeat attitude, her coworkers shared how kind, and caring Marie always was and would go above and beyond for all her residents. Marie enjoyed camping, hiking, kayaking, gardening, puzzles, playing board and card games. She took joy in baking, sewing, listening to Christian music and was an avid Elvis fan, she had an adoration for pets, but most of all she loved spending time with her family. She was a communicant of Our Lady of Grace Parish in Hatfield where she served as Eucharistic Minister, sang in the choir, and was the CCD program director. Marie was such a devote catholic, that she became a member of the Dominican Laity #103. She was very proactive with the Lay Dominican community where she was the former president for 3 years. She is survived by her mother, Mathilda (Dorsch) Brooks of Hatfield, her loving children, her son, Aaron Blanchette and his wife Lorelei, of Williamsburg, her daughters, Pamela Hodges and her husband Shawn, of Williamsburg, and Lisa Blanchette of Hatfield, 8 grandchildren, her brothers, Michael Brooks of Zebylon, NC, Chris Brooks of St. Petersburg, FL, David Tatro of Sandusky, OH, her sister, Linda Lastowski of Huntington, her uncle, Fr. Henry Dorsch of Hatfield, and many cousins, nieces, nephews, and dear friends. Besides her father Donald Brooks, she was predeceased by her husband Gerald LaPlante, who sadly passed away in 2021, and her brother Peter Brooks. Calling hours will be held Sunday, November 3, 2024, from 4PM to 7PM at the DROZDAL FUNERAL HOME OF NORTHAMPTON. Funeral services will begin on Monday, November 4, 2024 from the Drozdal Funeral Home at 9AM, with a Liturgy of Christian Burial to be celebrated at 10AM in Our Lady of Grace Church, Hatfield. Burial with be at a later date in the Massachusetts Veterans Memorial Cemetery in Agawam. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in her memory to Our Lady of Grace Church, 11 School St., Hatfield, MA 01038 or to Dominican Monastery, C/O Dominican Laity #103 Mother of God Chapter, 1430 Riverdale St., W. Springfield, MA 01089. For more information, or to leave the family a personal condolence, please visit Drozdalfuneralhome.com.

Marie (Brooks) LaPlante

February 11, 1958 - October 26, 2024