Joseph A. Furgal, Jr.

Joseph A. Furgal, Jr. of Lee, passed away on December 5, 2025. He was the son of the late Joseph A. Furgal, Sr. and Kathryn (Pekala) Furgal. Born in Northampton, MA on March 3, 1939, he was a graduate of Wilbraham Monson Academy and the University of Vermont (UVM) with a B.S. Degree in Banking, Finance, and Insurance. He took UVM Graduate courses on Wall Street. Joe spent 36 years with the Berkshire Life Insurance Company, where he headed up the Field Training, Special Events, and Continuing Education Departments. Joe formed Creative Training Solutions, LLC, after retiring from Berkshire Life and provided sales training and consulting services for a variety of clients nationwide. He was also a part-time instructor at Berkshire Community College and a practicing realtor with Wheeler & Taylor Realty of Great Barrington after retirement. Joe was a U.S. Army Veteran, serving on a MAAG Mission in Iran in 1963 and 1964. Prior to joining Berkshire Life, he was a Metropolitan Life Insurance Consultant.

Joe played varsity soccer, basketball, and baseball at Wilbraham Monson. His favorite sport was baseball and he played several years of semi-pro baseball in the Greater Springfield area. Prior to his U.S. Army posting to Iran, he played 82 games in 1963 for the Ft. Meade Generals of the East Coast Army Conference. He was one of 15 non-professionals on the 25 player squad. Joe always considered playing 6 games that year against Baltimore Orioles shortstop Mark Belanger, a member of the Ft. Dix, NJ Team, and other Major Leaguers as a highlight of his baseball playing years. Joe was an avid Cleveland baseball fan since age 11, and attended the 1995 Cleveland Indians Fantasy Camp. He also played on the ARMISH MAAG Basketball Team that toured cities in Iran in a series of goodwill games.

          Joe, despite his many travels, was always a “small town person,” growing up in Monson, and after completing his military service and graduating from UVM, he moved to Lee, quickly adjusting to small town life again and loved his adopted town.

          Community volunteerism was a “must” on Joe’s list of outside activities. He was on the Porchlight VNA/Home Care Board (vice chair) and the Town of Lee Finance Committee for 10 years while also serving on the St. Mary’s (Lee) School Board. He coached Lee youth baseball, including Babe Ruth baseball and basketball teams for many years, was a past President of the Lee Youth Association Board. Joe and his wife, Audie, co-chaired an annual auction in the 1980’s and 1990’s in Church Park that raised funds for the Lee Youth Association and the Lee Community Tennis Association.

He was the event coordinator for the Town of Lee’s Founders Weekend for 7 years. Joe served on a number of Lee Chamber of Commerce fundraising and other committees, and received the Lee Chamber of Commerce Lifetime Achievement Award in 2023 for his service within the town of Lee.

Joe served on the Berkshire Red Cross Golf Classic Committee for 20 years, chairing and co-chairing it for 9 years. He was also on the Pittsfield Boys & Girls Club Children First Gold Fundraising Committee. Joe participated in numerous local and industry organizations, including chairing LIMRA’s National Field Development & Performance Committee, president of the New England Training Directors Association (NETDA), and was also a member of the NETDA Hall of Fame, and was president of the Greater Pittsfield Jaycees.

Joe enjoyed Civil War history, model railroading, gardening, and the outdoors, especially mowing his lawn on his orange garden tractor. He loved golf and was a member of the Country Club of Pittsfield, serving on its Board of Directors for 6 years, and as president for 3 years.

Joe was predeceased by his beloved wife of 46 years, Audie Jo (Scofield), his brother John, brother-in-law Chester Bogacz, his nephew Andrew Scofield and his partner of 10 years, Sharon Feltser. He is survived by his loving daughter, Tobey Ann Simone, and her husband Mike, of Lee; his sister, Mary Bogacz of Newington, CT, and his cherished granddaughters, Lena, Lydia, Jenna, and Ella, whose soccer and basketball games “Poppy” seldom missed. He also leaves his brothers-in-law Clint Scofield (JoAnn) of McKinney, TX, John Scofield (Tina) of White Plains, NY, and sister-in-law Shirley Furgal, of Springfield; nieces Stephanie Bruno (Steve), Amy Dumais (Dave), Melanie Henry (Matt), nephews Stephen (Jessica) and Brad Scofield (Kendra), and 6 grand nieces and nephews.

A Liturgy of Christian Burial will be held on Wednesday, December 10th, by the Rev. Brian McGrath, at St. Mary’s Church in Lee, at 10 AM. Rites of Committal and Interment with military honors will follow at St. Mary’s Cemetery in Lee. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to St. Mary’s School in Lee, or the Lee Youth Association, in care of the Kelly Funeral Home, 3 Main Street, Lee, MA.