John Southworth Bethel, III

John Southworth “Jay” Bethel, III, 65, passed away at the Farren Care Center, in Turners Falls, Massachusetts, on December 6, 2019. Born in Wakefield, Massachusetts, he was the beloved son of the late John S. Bethel, Jr. and Eileen (Giles) Bethel.  He attended local schools in Wakefield and was a graduate of The Governor’s Academy, Byfield, MA.  As a young man, he particularly enjoyed summers with his family at their home in West Dennis, MA where he spent his days sailing Beetlecats on Bass River, swimming, and long-distance running. His passion was music, playing a variety of instruments and singing.   While attending College, he became ill and was diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia which tragically incapacitated him for his entire adult life. John leaves his three sisters, Patricia B. Egan and her husband John of Longmeadow, MA, Lucy B. Gangone and her husband Anthony of Leesburg, FL, and Jean B. Bear and her husband Justin of Silver Spring, MD; as well as 9 nieces and nephews, and 14 grandnieces and nephews. His sister, Mary B. Binder of Westminster, MA, predeceased him in 2015. John’s sisters were his closest friends and watched over his care for the last 40 years. The family is most grateful for the care provided to John by the compassionate staff on the Sequoia Unit at Farren, who treated him so professionally and with such dignity during his final years. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Saturday, December 14th at 10:00 AM in St. Mary’s Church, 519 Longmeadow St., in Longmeadow. His family will greet friends in the church prior to his Mass from 9:00 - 9:45 AM. Committal services will be private. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions in John’s memory may be directed to the Residents Fund, c/o Farren Care Center, 340 Montague City Road, Turners Falls, MA 01376. The Byron Keenan Funeral Home, 1858 Allen St., Springfield is honored to be handling the arrangements.