Honora Jane Willcutts, 79, of Forest Glen passed away Wednesday, Nov 7th, at Care Dimensions Hospice House in Lincoln, MA. She was born in Newark, New Jersey on October 21st, 1939 to the late Gertrude (McKenna) and Harry Savage. Honora “Nora” graduated from Saint Rose High School of Lima, OH, and received her Bachelors of Science and Nursing from the College of Mount Saint Joseph (now known as Mount Saint Joseph University) in Cincinnati, OH.
She joined the U.S. Navy Nurses Corps and served at the Oak Knoll Naval Hospital, Oakland, CA. She also worked at Saint Joseph’s Hospital in San Francisco. After marrying Harrison D. “Dave” Willcutts MD, a naval medical officer, they were stationed in Pensacola, FL, Agana, Guam and Newport, RI.
Nora settled in West Springfield in 1972, where she and her husband raised a family of seven children and set up a medical practice on Park Avenue in the town’s center where they spent the next 42 years providing quality health care to the community. She was a longtime communicant of St. Thomas Church and a proud member of the St. Thomas Choir. Nora especially enjoyed her summers with family and friends spent upon the shores of Lake Congamond in Suffield, CT at their family retreat.
She spent the last year in Littleton, MA, living with her devoted daughter, Bobbie, who became her primary caregiver after the passing of her husband, Dave, last year. She was the beloved wife of 52 years to the late Harrison D. Willcutts, loving mother of Nora M. Willcutts and her spouse Martha Williams of Cambridge, MA; David Willcutts and his wife Julia Livingston of St. Paul, MN; Kevin J. Willcutts and his wife Beth Foster of Takoma Park, MD; Patrick J. Willcutts and his wife Ellen of West Hartford, CT; Bobbie Dressel and her husband Scott of Littleton, MA; Sean T. Willcutts and his wife Gina of Suffield, CT; and Tim S. Willcutts of Colrain, MA; loving sister of Nancy Savage of Cincinatti, OH, and the late Harry Savage, Jr., of Seagirt, NJ; sister-in-law of Gail Savage of Long Beach, NY; Diane Semans of Mendocino, CA; Anne Willcutts of Eugene, OR; and Morton D. Willcutts of South Dakota; devoted grandmother of Craig, Caroline, Iona, Zoe, Grace, Colin, Kaylyn, Amber, Emma, Kate, Ava, and Gabrielle. She also leaves several cousins, nieces and nephews and many beloved friends and neighbors.
The funeral will be Tuesday at 11:00am at the TOOMEY-O’BRIEN FUNERAL HOME, 1043 Westfield Street, West Springfield, MA, followed at 12 noon by a Liturgy of Christian Burial at St. Thomas the Apostle Church. Burial will be at the St. Thomas Cemetery. Calling hours are Monday 4pm-7pm at the funeral home.
In lieu of flowers, donations in Honora’s name may be made to St. Thomas Church, 47 Pine Street, West Springfield, MA 01089 or The Michael J. Fox Foundation in support of Parkinson’s research.
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