Alison Laprade Summers

Alison Laprade-Summers was taken from us on Saturday, October 19, 2013 after a valiant and courageous 3 year battle with metastatic breast cancer at the age of 33. She was born on January 26, 1980. She grew up in Holland, MA and graduated from Tantasqua Regional High School in 1998. She received a Bachelor’s Degree in biology from Northeastern University in 2002 and moved to Florida to work for Walt Disney World, a dream she had from the first time she went to Disney World when she was 3 years old. She worked in the Animal Kingdom and for the animal Kingdom Lodge as Director of Education and Children’s Services until she returned back to Massachusetts. Once back in Massachusetts, she worked for The Zoo in Forest Park as Director of Education and Volunteer Services. Alison returned to Massachusetts to be with the love of her life, Charles (Chas) Summers III, a story of love lost then rediscovered. They were married on October 1, 2006. Besides her husband, she leaves behind a 15 year old step-daughter Sydney and 4 year old daughter Maya. She is the daughter of Maureen Laprade of Worcester and Bruce Laprade and his wife Toni-Ann of Holland. Brothers Matthew Laprade and his wife Devon of Worcester; Lt. Craig Laprade and his fiancee Lt. Andrea DeMelo of Butler, GA and sister Melanie of Worcester. Her maternal grandmother Shirley LaValley of Easthampton; paternal grandparents Lawrence and Rita Laprade of Easthampton and uncle Steve LaValley. She leaves behind her in laws Charles (Chuck) and Lynn Summers Jr. of Indiana; her sister-in-law Jocelyn and her wife Erica of Worcester. She was predeceased by her maternal grandfather Norman LaValley. There have been countless people involved closely with Alison during her fight with breast cancer including The Holland Girls – you know who you are; her friends and neighbors on Berkshire St. in Ludlow; friends & Baystate Medical Center nurses Lisa & Sara; friend Teralyn; the people from the Wilbraham Y who routinely delivered meals; the various workers at the D’Amour Cancer Center including Dr. Katz; and her baby sister Melanie who in the final weeks of Ali’s life did anything and everything, but most importantly was her sister’s confidante, helping each other prepare for the inevitable. The family requests that flowers be omitted and donations be made for Maya’s education fund.