Northampton, MA – Carol J. Bevan-Bogart, of Northampton, Massachusetts passed away on May 1, 2026. Born in Northampton to Helen and Thomas Bevan, Carol grew up in Holyoke, Massachusetts, and graduated from Holyoke Catholic High School. She attended Amherst College as part of the first graduating class of women, earning a B.A. in psychology, and later received an M.A. in Communication from Emerson College. Carol also earned a TESOL certificate from the International Language Institute and was certified as an AWA (Amherst Writers and Artists) writing group facilitator.
Carol built a distinguished career as a trainer, speechwriter, and manager at Wang Laboratories; Director of Public Relations at Monarch Capital Corp.; and Vice President of Human Resource Development at the Merrill Lynch Insurance Group in Springfield. She later worked as a manager in the Human Resources Department at Smith College, where she was elected to serve on the Mission and Goals Committee. As an independent consultant, she led workshops in communication, leadership, team development, and presentation skills for local colleges and businesses. From 2005 to 2014, Carol was also a senior instructor in the Master of Management program at Cambridge College in Springfield.
Service to others was a defining thread in Carol’s life. She began volunteering in high school as a Red Feather Girl and spokesperson for the United Way. In the early 1970s, when her children were enrolled in the Gateway Regional School System, she was awarded a residential fellowship to Yale to support her work in community organizing. She volunteered with G.I.V.E. (Gateway’s Involved Volunteer Effort), and in 1973 she and a group of friends founded Wild Mountain Thyme Food Co-op, which she managed. While still living in the hilltowns, she wrote a grant through the Office for Children to fund a drop-in center in Huntington for teens at Gateway. As an undergraduate at Amherst College, she served on the Intergroup Relations Committee, which brought diverse groups together for dialogue about issues impacting them and the college. While at Monarch Capital, Carol volunteered at the Children’s Museum in Holyoke, where she developed and presented a leadership program for teens. She served on the Board of Directors for the International Language Institute for five years and tutored students in English as they prepared for their studies in the U.S. From 2002 to 2017, she volunteered with Voices from Inside, a writing program for incarcerated and formerly incarcerated women. Carol also co-founded Mourning Reflections, a grief-recovery writing group that met in her home for many years. Most recently, she volunteered at the Forbes Library, Historic Northampton, and the Northampton Senior Center-always bringing warmth, steadiness, and encouragement to those around her.
A traveler at heart, Carol visited Ireland many times and also explored Italy, Switzerland, Greece, Spain, Guatemala, and-especially-Mexico. One of her favorite adventures was a 1976 road trip to Mexico in a VW bus. She and her children often reminisced about that journey and the many memories made along the way, including side trips to New Orleans; Washington, D.C.; San Antonio, Texas; and Hershey, Pennsylvania. Carol and her partner, John, also loved traveling together to Arizona and New Mexico. They returned often to Sedona, Arizona, staying in a rustic cabin and hiking canyon trails while soaking in the peace, natural beauty, and quiet joy of the Southwest.
In addition to her parents, Carol was predeceased by her partner in love and life, John A. DiNapoli, a Holyoke police officer who died in the line of duty. She is survived by her daughter, Michaela, and Michaela’s partner, Christopher, of Connecticut; and by her son, Matthew, and his partner, Louise, of Massachusetts. She also leaves her much-loved grandson, Nicholas, and his wife, Cassandra, of Colorado. Carol is also survived by her sister, Deborah, and Deborah’s husband, Glenn, of Massachusetts; her brother, Mark, and his wife, Diane, of Massachusetts; and her nieces, nephews, and many cousins of the Bevan and Garvey clans. She also leaves her goddaughter, Johannah; her godson, Christian; and her lifelong friends Donna, Danny, Suzette, Sherry, and Isabelle. Carol’s family and friends will remember her for her fierce love, generous spirit, and the way she made others feel seen and supported.
Funeral services will be private, with a celebration of Carol’s life being held later at the family’s convenience. In lieu of flowers, donations in Carol’s name may be made to the International Language Institute in Northampton, Massachusetts, or to a charity of their choice. Barry J. Farrell Funeral Home, Holyoke, MA (413)536-3843
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