Amherst, MA – Carolyn Marie (Quinn) Rufe, 79, passed on December 19th 2025.
Carolyn was born October 8th, 1946 in Medford, MA, to her loving parents Mary Grace and Joseph Matthew Quinn, and grew up in Somerset, MA with her brothers, Joseph M. Quinn and Stephen J. Quinn. After graduating from Albertus Magnus College in Connecticut, she worked in the Cardio-Pulmonary Laboratory at Children’s Hospital in Boston. She met her husband, Al, after skiing in Stowe, Vermont, and when they married, they started their life and family together in Shutesbury, Massachusetts, where they have resided since.
Carolyn followed in the footsteps of her own Nana, and was a true matriarch of her family. It was her nature to mother and care for all those around her. She was everything to her family, and will be deeply missed, and continuously loved by her family and friends, including her husband of 49 years, Aloysius N. Rufe Jr, her three children, Nicholas A. Rufe of Hadley, MA, Andrew J. Rufe of Amherst, MA, Kathryn M. (Rufe) Westbrook and husband Colin P. Westbrook of Seattle, WA, her two grandchildren Sophia N. Westbrook and Bennett M. Westbrook, her brother Stephen and wife Vera Fajtova, her sister-in-law Margaret M. Margolis and husband Jack Margolis, along with many nieces and nephews.
Carolyn observed the world around her with awe. She taught us to notice and admire the beauty of things both ordinary and exquisite, and particularly of the natural world. She was a passionate gardener and volunteer with the Western Massachusetts Master Gardeners and the Garden Club of Amherst, a collector of seashells, heart-shaped rocks, and plant varieties. She loved recounting her adventurous travel through the world, but her heart was happiest returning again to the places that held her favorite memories of family-skiing in Stowe on winter weekends, annual summer vacations to Cape Cod, Grandpa’s house on Half Moon Lake, and the countless amusing sandbox memories and family gatherings in her own backyard and garden.
She always said her greatest joy in life was raising her three children, whom she loved more than anything. She engaged her children and grandchildren with their own authentic curiosity and excitement, undivided attention, and love. She was a trusted, compassionate friend and confidant-she was always there for us and for so many of our family and friends, no matter the hour, to simply listen, to talk through decisions, provide comfort, or to help in any way, without judgement. Her favorite thing was to be there and support the people she loved, and we know in our hearts she will continue to be here for us.
We invite friends and family to join us for a memorial service and mass for Carolyn at Saint Brigid’s Church in Amherst, MA on Monday, December 29th, 2025 at 10:00am, followed by a reception and celebration of her life in the Saint Brigid’s Hall Library at 11:00am.
Carolyn will be buried on January 2nd, 2026 at the Rufe family plot at St. Mary’s Cemetery in Doylestown, PA. We welcome friends and family to the church visitation at 9:30am and funeral mass at 10:30am at Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church.
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