05/03/2026
Barbara F. Randall
Barbara “Bonnie” Helen Farman Randall, 79, of Holyoke, formerly of South Hadley, passed away suddenly at home on Tuesday, April 28, 2026. She was a loving and devoted wife, mother, sister, daughter, aunt, grandmother, great-grandmother, and a beautiful friend to so many. She will be missed beyond measure.
Born in Holyoke, Massachusetts, on May 20, 1946, Bonnie was the daughter of Robert Burton Farman and Helen Margaret (Magill) Farman. She was raised in South Hadley and graduated from South Hadley High School. She went on to attend Henry W. Bishop Memorial Nursing School in Pittsfield and Holyoke Community College, later earning her Master’s degree in Education from the University of Massachusetts.
Bonnie began her professional career in the Trust Department at Shawmut Bank before joining the law firm of Lyon, Curley, Scully, and Fitzpatrick. It was there that she met the love of her life, Raymond R. Randall. Together they built a life centered on love, family, and community.
After earning her Master’s degree, she worked for the Holyoke Public Schools, where she served in a variety of roles, most recently as a system-wide adjustment counselor. She also coordinated programs such as the Martin Luther King Jr. Breakfast, the Celebration of Holyoke Public Schools, Holyoke Rising Stars, and the Holyoke Special Olympics, leaving a lasting impact on countless students and families. She was also very proud of her role as a columnist for the Transcript Telegram.
Guided by her belief that “there is always time to help others,” Bonnie dedicated herself to service throughout her life. She was a tireless advocate for her community, serving on the Board of Directors for the Holyoke Merry Go Round, Providence Ministries for the Needy, Holyoke Rotary Club, the Council for Human Understanding, the Junior League of Holyoke, the South Hadley Town Library, Area Mental Health Board, Daughters of the Nile Ahlem Temple, the Holyoke Children’s Museum, and the South Hadley Old Firehouse Museum.
She was also a South Hadley Town Meeting member and volunteered with numerous organizations, including the Holyoke YMCA, Holyoke Hospital Aid Association, United Way, Order of the Eastern Star, and the International Order of the Rainbow for Girls. She received numerous awards as a result of her community service, including the Agnes Broderick Justice and Peace Award from the Providence Ministries for the Needy. Bonnie was a true force for good in the world.
Bonnie was an avid reader who loved crossword puzzles and had a passion for genealogy, tracing her family’s roots back to the Mayflower and beyond. She especially treasured her summers on the Connecticut shoreline in Old Saybrook. She was a faithful member of South Hadley Falls Congregational Church and later the United Methodist Church.
Family was the center of Bonnie’s world. When asked what she was most proud of, her answer was always the same – her four children. She was strong, resilient, deeply compassionate, and a profound inspiration to them.
Bonnie was predeceased by her beloved husband, Raymond R. Randall; her son, Paul Robert Randall; her sister, Margaret “Peggy” Woods; her parents, Robert and Helen Farman; Leonard Neumann and Geroge Howe.
She is survived by her loving children, Tania Randall Rorke and her husband, Tom, Leonard “Butch” Randall and his wife, Tricia, and John Randall and his wife, Chrissy.
She is also survived by her cherished grandchildren, Grace and Abbie Rorke, Emily, Ray, and Seven “KK” Randall, Casey Destromp and her husband, Lyndon, and Sydney Giordano and her husband, Christopher; and her adored great-grandchildren, Shae, Parker, and Finn Destromp. She is further survived by her brother, Robert Farman; Jim Berger; her brother-in-law, Gill Woods; her nephews, EG Woods and his wife, Layne, and Aaron Woods and his wife, Amy; and many dear friends and colleagues whose lives she touched deeply.
Bonnie’s legacy is one of love, strength, resilience, generosity, and unwavering devotion to others. She made the world a better place simply by being in it.
Visitation and Funeral: Friends and family are invited to celebrate Bonnie's life on Friday, May 8. Calling hours will be held from 10:00 to 11:00 a.m., followed by a service at 11:00 a.m., both at Morning Star Baptist Church (formerly South Hadley Falls Congregational Church), at 11 North Main Street, South Hadley. She will be buried next to her beloved husband immediately following the service at the Evergreen Cemetery, South Hadley.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorial contributions in Bonnie's memory be made to the Holyoke Merry-Go-Round, 221 Appleton Street, Holyoke. Please email [email protected] or call (413) 538-9838.
For more information or to leave online condolences, please visit obrienfamilyfh.com.
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