Community Comes Together To Lay Beloved Friend To Rest

FLANDERS, NY — Hearts are broken in Flanders as family, friends, and the community ready to say farewell to Tammy Tocci.

Tocci, a former member of the Flanders-Northampton Volunteer Ambulance, died on May 11. She was 47 years old.

A GoFundMe page, Tammy Tocci’s Celebration of Life, has been created by Tracy Gibbs.

The service will take place Saturday from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. at the Flanders Men's Club, located at 1018 Flanders Road in Flanders.

"Tammy Tocci put up a fight for her life for over 25 years dealing with kidney disease," Gibbs wrote. "After weekly blood transfusions and surgery to remove a large, cancerous tumor, she was on the road to recovery. The day before her treatment began she was rushed to the hospital for kidney failure."

After being hospitalized for weeks, with nothing easing her pain, "she made the decision to stop all medication and treatment so she could be comfortable at home," Gibbs wrote. "She was called home to be with her husband Jeff and sister Barbara earlier this week. As the family grieves during this difficult time it would offer peace of mind to be able to provide them with some financial relief, to offset any costs that come along with laying a loved one to rest."

Gibbs added that the celebration of life will help those grieving "to remember Tammy for the beautiful soul she was. The Tocci family thanks you from the bottom of their hearts for anything you’re able to donate. Tammy was loved by all she crossed paths with and will always be remembered."

Susan Tocci, Tammy's sister, wrote about her family's unthinkable loss.

Her sister Barbara died in a crash on Flanders Road in 2014.

"Our family is beyond heartbroken, Tocci wrote. "My dad lost another daughter; he is beyond devastated."

Her father sat in the hospital during Tammy's struggle and even when Susan told him to go home and rest, he would "show back up at 2 a.m. to wipe her face," she said. "He's always taken care of his children and helped anyone he could at a moment's notice. Pop was there to pay a bill if needed, meet our children at the bus stop, drive them to work, or cook them a meal — and never asks for much."

Her family, Tocci said, has had deep roots in Flanders for six generations, always giving back and lending a proverbial hand. "Here we are burying another young Tocci member and each time I pay a bill for this funeral, Dad shows up says, 'It's not your responsibility, it's mine!' and reimburses me. Even though Tammy was 47 years old, Pop still wants to take care of her."

When she learned that Gibbs had created the GoFundMe, Tocci said she began crying, as it isn't her nature, or her family's to ask for help, even during the darkest of hours. Now, she said, she can reimburse her father.

"Thank you all for the prayers, texts, and right down to the surprise, special food care package from Scotto's, so we didn't have to eat hospital food again," Tocci said. "I personally thank you from the bottom of my heart."

To donate to the GoFundMe, click here.

A full tribute to Tammy Tocci will follow.

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