Steve Charles Hassell Obituary
Steve Charles Hassell arrived in Conway, MA to the proud parents of Galen and Florence (Tenney) Hassell on September 11, 1941. His childhood in Conway included Boy Scouts, many friends, swimming in the Conway Pool, fishing the brooks and creating a club with his friends, they called the Baptist Hill Buzzards. In his teenage years, he joined the Frontier football and baseball teams and played the drums in the school band until he was given a choice of band or football.
Steve chose football. He starred at quarterback for the team and also played halfback. After graduating from Frontier Class of '59, Steve joined the US Marine Corps during which he served as a radio communications operator aboard a flagship ship stationed off the coast of Cuba during the Cuban Missile Crisis. He received an honorable discharge as Lance Corporal in 1963 and was always proud of being a "Jughead".
Steve went to college in Kansas City, MO but returned to Conway to finish his education at Westfield State College and graduated with a degree in Education and Botany. While at Westfield he met the love of his life, Cyndy Wysocki on a school skiing trip. They were married on April 15, 1969. Steve was a 6th grade teacher at the Conway Grammar School until February 14, 1970, which we now call the "Valentine's Day Massacre".
At that point, another avenue was opened for Steve. He, with Cyndy always by his side, started a business in Northampton named, The Granary. It became one of the first successful natural and organic food stores in Massachusetts. At 35 years of age Steve developed an interest in Blue Grass music and took up the banjo. Impromptu Blue Grass jam sessions were ever present at the little School House on Poland Road.
In April of 1978, their son, Nathan joined them both at home and at The Granary and their son, Ryan joined the family in July 1983. With their family complete, The Granary was sold and they furthered their entrepreneurial ambitions relocating to their new home in Framingham, MA. It was there that Steve and Cyndy developed a thriving custom windows and doors business named Oslo America that helped send their boys through private education at nearby Massachusetts prep schools.
In 2001, Steve suffered a stroke and although the effects of the stroke slowed him down some, Steve never stopped going. He continued with his business, traveling and driving. Between 2004 and 2008, Steve carefully designed and constructed his and Cyndy's dream home in Dennis Port, MA. Steve continued Oslo America until 2015 and spent his later days in the garden, tending to his flora and fauna with great detail.
Steve was predeceased by his parents Galen and Flo Hassell, sisters Carolyn Herr and Linda Wirth, brothers-in-law Gene Herr, Robert Wirth and Bob Wysocki, mother and father-in-law Jo and Stanley Wysocki. Survivors include Cyndy, his wife of 48 years, sons Nathan and his partner, Monique, Ryan and his partner, Leah, sister Jennifer Coliskey and her husband, Bob, brother-in-law David Wysocki and sister-in-law Janet (Bob) Wysocki, cousins, nieces, nephews and many, many friends.
