Yolande L. Tardiff

HOLYOKE- Yolande (Fregault) Tardiff, 86, died on Friday, December 23, 2016, at JGS Lifecare in Longmeadow, MA. Yolande was born on May 22, 1930, in Knowlton, Quebec. She grew up on a farm with her parents, Leopold and Aldea (Lauziere) Fregault and her sister and two brothers, and even traveled the region with the Fregault family band (Yolande played piano). She fell in love with Rene Tardiff, a young man from Hartford, Ct with Quebecois roots, and moved to the U.S. when she married him in 1952. Without knowing a word of English in the beginning, Yolande created a new life and beautiful home in Holyoke, MA, for herself and Rene, and their children, Mario, Jocelyne, Sonya, and Christian. She worked for over 30 years at Messier Funeral Home in Holyoke. Yolande loved to tend her garden filled with flowers, tomatoes, and raspberries, and she was famous for her tourtieres (meat pies). She kept tins well-stocked with many varieties of homemade cookies for her grandchildren, who called her Memere. She was the rare person who is beautiful inside and out and loved by everyone whose life she touched. Yolande leaves a big family who miss her terribly, including her loving husband, Rene Joseph Tardiff, of Holyoke, MA; four children and their spouses: Mario and Karen Tardif of North Attleboro, MA; Jocelyne and Edward King of Sandwich, MA; Sonya and Richard Enders of Granby, MA; and Christian Tardif of Belchertown, MA; her sister Juliette Ares and niece Joanne Ares and husband Norman Marchesseau; ten grandchildren: Elyssa, Brittany, Molly, Cassandra, Nicholas, Patrick, Joseph, Dominic, Tara, and Nathan; and a great-granddaughter, Grace. Life Celebration hours will be held on Monday, December 26, 2016 from 2-4PM at Messier Funeral Home, 1944 Northampton St., Holyoke, MA 01040 with a ceremony at 3:30PM. A time of continued fellowship and sharing will be held at the American Legion Post #325, Sycamore St., Holyoke, MA 01040 from 4-7PM and all are invited. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations in Yolande’s name can be made to the JGS Lifecare, 770 Converse St., Longmeadow, MA 01106 or to the Alzheimer’s Disease Assoc, 264 Cottage St., Spfld, MA 01104.Please visit www.messierfuneralhome.com for more details.