January 2, 2026

OBITUARY: Father Donald Lapointe

REGIONAL
Staff report

SPRINGFIELD – Father J. Donald R. Lapointe, 83 years old, died on Tuesday, Dec. 30. Father Lapointe was a priest of the Diocese of Springfield for 58 years.

The son of the late Joseph Lapointe and Clara Delisle, he was born June 4, 1942. His family resided in the Chicopee Falls section of Chicopee where his family were parishioners at the former St. George Parish there.

He graduated from the former St. George Elementary School in Chicopee. Father Lapointe graduated from the Petit Séminaire de St. Hyacinth in Quebec, Canada. He then earned a philosophy degree and later graduated from the Grande Séminaire where he received a master’s degree and a lauriet degree.

He was ordained May 6, 1967 at St. Catherine of Siena Parish in Springfield. Upon his ordination, he served as a curate in numerous parishes in Holyoke, Springfield and Ware. In 1985 he appointed to his first pastorate, Sacred Heart Parish, Northampton. From there he went on to serve as pastor at the parishes of St. John Cantius, Northampton; St. Patrick, Chicopee; and St. Mary in Haydenville.

He later served as director of personnel for Brightside and was on the founding board for the Springfield Diocese Diaconate.

Throughout his priesthood, Father Lapointe committed much of efforts to various healing ministries throughout the diocese, including the Marriage Counseling Office, Diocesan Director for the Ministry to the Separated and Divorced, and in his final active years of ministry he served as director of Mary’s House of Prayer.

Father Lapointe also served as a member and chair of the Diocesan Building Commission, diocesan director of the Propagation of the Faith, as well as member of the Clergy Commission and Presbyterial Council.

He leaves his two sisters, Sister Claire Lapointe of the Sisters of the Assumption and Doris M. (Lapointe) Aube of Chicopee; his niece, Claire Benoit and her husband, Stephen, of West Springfield; his three nephews, Paul J. Aube and his wife Heather, of Chicopee, Marc E. Aube and his wife, Jenny, of Chicopee, and Steve G. Aube and his wife, Renée, of Suffield, CT; and many grandnephews, grandnieces, great grandnephews and great grandnieces.

In addition to his parents, he was predeceased by his two brothers, Joseph L. Lapointe and his wife, Jeanne, and Jean Paul Lapointe and his wife, Marian Pease; and his brother-in-law, Joseph I. Evariste Aube.

Calling hours will take place Friday, Jan. 9 from 4- 6 p.m. at St. Rose de Lima Parish, Grattan Street, Chicopee followed by the Mass of Christ the High Priest. 

The Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated, by Bishop William D. Byrne Saturday, Jan. 10 at 11a.m. Burial will follow at Notre Dame Cemetery, South Hadley. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made in Father Lapointe’s memory to Saint Joan of Arc School, 587 Grattan Street, Chicopee, MA 01020.