Mr. John Reginald Gobel Obituary - Visitation & Funeral Information

After a career spanning four decades as a highly-regarded Berkshire attorney, John Reginald Gobel of Pittsfield, MA, passed away peacefully at home on June 10, 2022, just days after his 76th birthday. John was born June 1, 1946 in Omaha, Nebraska, the first child of Reginald Trudo Gobel and Juanita Mary (Scott) Gobel. John was both husband and law partner of Pauline Keyburn “Keye” Hollister, a lifelong resident of Pittsfield. Having met at law school in 1974, they practiced together as Gobel & Hollister law partners on Wendell Avenue. Following Keye’s retirement in 2018, John merged the firm, becoming a partner at Martin & Oliveira where he worked for the rest of his life. John is survived by his wife, Keye, mother, Juanita Gobel, of Hanover Pennsylvania and his siblings: Mary (Ray) Clardy of New Market, Maryland; David (Phyllis) Gobel of Bala-Cynwyd, Pennsylvania; Michael (Lois) Gobel of Lancaster, Pennsylvania; Teresa Gobel of Hanover, Pennsylvania; and Joe (Ginny) Gobel of Boise, Idaho. In recent years, John focused his practice on condominium and community association law—representing many of the County’s largest residential associations. Still, he considered himself a general practitioner, having practiced in all the courts of Massachusetts. He was admitted to the Massachusetts Bar in 1978 and to the US Supreme Court in 1994. He served for five years, two of them as chair, for the Clients Security Board of the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court. He served for four years as a member of the Massachusetts Board of Bar Overseers. John graduated with a BA degree from St. Louis University in 1968 and with a JD from University of Connecticut in 1978. Previously, during high school and college, he spent six years in the catholic seminary. As a boy, John achieved Eagle Scout, the highest award level in scouting. He served four years in the United States Navy on board the USS Wasp, an aircraft carrier that patrolled the North Atlantic, Mediterranean and Caribbean during the Vietnam War. His naval service both brought him to New England and whetted his appetite for travel. Although he had no children, John reveled in the lives of over 75 nieces, nephews and their spouses across several generations. John and Keye traveled extensively, making annual trips around the globe including Europe, Asia and the Far East. John was an avid athlete and avowed “gym rat.” He ran 11 marathons including three New York City Marathons. He was an avid road cyclist, participating in several of the early Josh Billings races. He organized and participated in many century and double century (100 and 200 mile) bike rides across the northeast. He also traveled the northeast for cross country ski biathlons and was nationally ranked in his class. He was a single-digit handicap golfer, which he maintained was his favorite sport until he had to give it up in 1982. In that year, he contracted eosinophilic fasciitis, a connective tissue disease, which resulted in severe contractions of the elbows and knees on down, including his hands and feet, ankles and wrists. While the newly developed handicap prevented John from playing sports like golf, road biking, and cross-country ski racing, he soon discovered alpine skiing allowed him to perform at an expert level, so skiing became one of his great passions for the rest of his life. For two decades he hosted annual ski trips to the Rocky Mountains open to all family members, many of whom—nieces, nephews, in-laws, and close friends—joined the trips year after year. John made over 100 ski trips around world, almost always with invited family, and at least 50 separate trips to Utah. One of his favorite activities was skiing with nieces and nephews of different generations. In recent decades he took up back country skiing so as to broaden the interest with family members. With prosthetic shoes and boots, he was able to continue hiking and he completed the entire Massachusetts section of the Appalachian Trail with Keye. In 2014 he traveled to Tanzania with his niece, Kathryn Hollister, where they climbed Mount Kilimanjaro. For nineteen consecutive years, he and his younger brother Joe, made early December ski trips to wherever the Western snow was best at the time. He was a lifelong classical music enthusiast, known for having area-favorite WMHT radio on 100% of the time in his car and office, even during client meetings. For several years John and Keye volunteered at the Friends Tent at Tanglewood where they served tea to concertgoers during intermissions. John is remembered for his indomitable spirit, zest for life, many achievements and adventures. But, most importantly, he is remembered for his honesty, work ethic, caring nature and the bonds he formed with family and friends across generations around the globe. Funeral Notice: Funeral services for Mr. John Reginald Gobel will be Friday, June 17, 2022 with a Liturgy of Christian Burial at 1 pm at Sacred Heart Church, celebrated by the Rev. Steven Montesanti, Pastor. Calling hours will be Thursday, June 16, 2022, from 4 pm to 6 pm at the Dwyer Funeral Home, 776 North Street, Pittsfield MA. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made directly to the Brien Center for Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services of the Berkshire, Inc. at www.briencenter.org/donate

Mr. John Reginald Gobel

June 1, 1946 - June 10, 2022