Michael S. Gubola

Michael Gubola died peacefully at his home in Ludlow on August 14, 2025. He was 82. Mike was the only child of Sophie (Prokop) and Casmus Gubola. He grew up in Indian Orchard and lived his entire adult life in Ludlow. Mike graduated from former Springfield Technical High School and Westfield State College.

Always a woodsman, Mike enjoyed pursuit of the elusive woodcock and pheasant and a celebratory libation after a successful hunt. He loved to fish with his cousin, Jake Prokop, and proved his skill the year he nabbed an award-winning salmon from Quabbin Resevoir. During his working years, Mike enjoyed Friday evenings at the Unity Club with some of Ludlow’s finest educators. He liked to gamble, and he was deeply disappointed every time his daughter bet on the favorite to show. He was fascinated by wildlife and adored his cat. He had an enormous supply of coffee creamers in his refrigerator because he could charm store clerks to give him extras. He was witty, proud, and very stubborn. Most people who knew him would probably describe him with affection as “a character.“

Mike taught sixth grade in Ludlow public schools for decades, leaving a meaningful legacy with students who still reminisced with him at Big Y, Randall’s and Cumberland Farms about impromptu math problems, “the Gold List“ and other classroom antics. He had a knack for spotting the underdogs and boosting their self-esteem. He kept a box full of the hundreds of photos and letters students had given him over the years, and he dusted it off and looked through it with pride just last month. If you had Mr. Gubola as a teacher, he probably remembered you.
Mike is survived by his daughter, Michelle, and her husband, Lee Fredette, who live in Dublin, Ohio. Mike was deeply grateful for his special friends – Arlene Provost and Ryan, Alise, Mason and Juliana Bartolucci – who made it possible for him to live comfortably in his home.

Visitation will be held on Wednesday, August 20, 2025 from 4:00 – 6:00 PM at Kapinos-Mazur Funeral Home, 64 Sewell St., Ludlow, followed by a celebration of Mike’s life from 6:00 – 8:00 PM at Tony & Penny‘s Restaurant, 18 Canterbury St., Ludlow. Mr. Gubola was perhaps at his very best in the classroom, and his former colleagues and students are encouraged to attend. In lieu of flowers, contributions in Mike’s memory could be made to the Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife (MassWildlife) at 1 Rabbit Hill Road, Westborough, MA 01581or through the Mass.govwebsite.