Gloria J. (Winiarz) Lak

Gloria J. (Winiarz) Lak, 71, passed away August 6, 2023 at Baystate Medical Center with her family by her side, after a brief illness. Born on December 24, 1951 in Springfield to the late Stanley and Mary (Dudek) Winiarz, she grew up in Chicopee and had lived in Indian Orchard for the past 40 years. For over 30 years, she worked as a veterinary assistant, working with Dr. Richard Hersman for several of those years. Gloria gave us the gift of laughter and song and showed us how to love animals as part of the family. “And of course we know just where to find you when we need you….second star to the right, and straight in ‘til morning.”

Gloria leaves her beloved sister and brother-in-law, Christine and Thomas Merigan, Jr.  of Marshfield; her cherished nephew, Tom Merigan, III and his wife Carolyn of Hingham and great-niece, Lindsay Merigan and great-nephew, Tom Merigan IV, along with her devoted friend, Debbie Socha and her dear friends, Jaclyn Peloquin, Lynn Lak and Elaine Gravel. She was predeceased by her parents and her husband Walter Lak, Jr..

Per Gloria’s wishes, all services are private and entrusted to Nowak Funeral & Cremation Services. To offer online condolences, please visit www.nowakfuneral.com.

For those who would like to make a donation in Gloria’s memory, please consider the Thomas J. O’Connor, Animal Control & Adoption Center, 627 Cottage St., Springfield, MA, 01104.

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Gloria J. (Winiarz) Lak, please visit our floral store.