Mary Jane (White) Duquette

Mrs. Mary Jane White Duquette, age 79, of Dalton, died Tuesday, October 31, 2023, at Wingate Residence at Melbourne Place in Pittsfield.
Born in Pittsfield on November 12, 1943, she was the daughter of the late Robert J. and Mildred Glander White. Educated in the local schools, Mary Jane was a 1961 graduate of Pittsfield High School and a graduate of UMass Amherst in 1965.
Upon her children reaching school age, she became a substitute teacher at both Nessacus Regional Middle School as well as Wahconah Regional High School. Continuing her teaching career, Mrs. Duquette started full time in 1984 at the former St. Joseph Central High School where she taught for 27 years prior to her retirement in 2011. Mary Jane then returned to substitute teaching for 7 more years at Wahconah Regional while also continuing to tutor countless students throughout her career.
She was a lifelong communicant of St. Agnes Church in Dalton and her family meant everything to her. She was most proud of the accomplishments of her 5 children and so enjoyed attending and supporting all of the athletic events of her grandchildren. She was known to be an avid walker, and could often be seen making her loops around town. Mary Jane loved her daily scratch tickets and making frequent trips to the casino with family and friends. She enjoyed playing Bunco with her ladies and playing both Bridge and Pitch at the Dalton Senior Center.
Her husband of 37 years and an educator himself, the late James H. Duquette, died April 2, 2002.
Mrs. Duquette is survived by her children, James R. Duquette and his wife Pamela of Baltimore, MD; Christopher J. Duquette and his wife Alycia of Pittsfield; Jacqueline M. McLaughlin and her husband John F. McLaughlin III of Dalton; Patrick J. Duquette of Boston; and Brian J. Duquette and his wife Megan of Dalton, and her 13 beloved grandchildren, Lauren Duquette-Schuman and her husband Max, Matthew, Lindsey, Jamie, Randi, Jake, Isabella, Sullivan and Murphy Duquette, Tim and Nicole Desmarais, Patrick and Sam McLaughlin.
She also leaves her two sisters-in-law, Judith Duquette of Dalton, Kathleen Duquette-Penna of Pittsfield and her brother-in-law, Fr Don Bosco Duquette, ofm. Cap. of Yonkers, New York.
The family would also like to express their gratitude to her neighbors in the Flats, her caretakers who allowed her to stay at home as long as she did and the entire staff at Wingate and Hospice Care of the Berkshires for their exceptional care.
Calling Hours for Mary Jane will be this Sunday, November 5th at St. Agnes Church in Dalton from 12 to 3 pm. A Liturgy of Christian Burial will be celebrated Monday morning, November 6th at 10 am at St. Agnes Church with the Rev. Christopher Malatesta, pastor, officiating. Burial will follow in the Ashuelot St. Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made payable to "St. Agnes Academy" in care of the DEVANNY-CONDRON FUNERAL HOME, 40 Maplewood Ave. Pittsfield, MA 01201