Gina S. Kahn

Gina (Sapienza) Kahn, age 69, passed away comfortably at home with her family on January 9, 2025, after a battle with brain cancer. Gina was born on May 24, 1955, in Lawrence MA to parents Sam and Mary (Scuderi) Sapienza. She grew up in a multi-generational, multi-lingual house in Lawrence with her parents, grandparents, and Agnes, her big sister and source of lifelong inspiration. As a proud first generation Sicilian-American, Gina connected her family roots through Sicily, Lawrence, MA, and Wilbraham, MA. With annual participation in the Feast of the Three Saints, tireless work to better her community, and stubborn commitment to growing fig trees through the New England winter, Gina demonstrated her commitment to both her roots and her legacy. She leaves behind lifelong friendships and a loving family that will long remember her kindness and dedication.

Gina attended Holy Rosary High School in Lawrence MA, where she cultivated storytelling through writing, alongside sunrise trips to the beach with friends. She triple majored in Spanish, Psychology, and Education at UMass, where she met the love of her life Jason (Jay) Kahn. Jay, a teaching assistant in one of Gina's freshman-year classes, was drawn to her brilliant writing, warmth, and independence. At the end of the semester, Jay asked Gina to go on their first date, to see Paper Tiger, and share ice cream after. They immediately connected via a mutual love of the Beatles. Gina's self-admitted crush on Paul McCartney didn't prevent her relationship with Jay from blossoming into a deep connection of lifetime friendship and partnership.

After graduating from UMass, Jay said, “Come with me to Ohio,” which led to their engagement in the summer of 1976 and wedding in spring of 1977. The handful of years in Ohio were packed with building a career, working as a social worker, and starting a family. Jay and Gina bought their first house in Canton, a place for sons Jason (b. 1980) and Jeff (b. 1983) to come home to.

Life and career brought the family to Wilbraham, where their third son Jared was born in 1987. Wilbraham quickly became the center of a new life, with Gina devoting more time to her own education and earning a masters degree, then working as a school psychologist. While her career progressed at Hampden Wilbraham Regional School District, the family squeezed in ski trips to Vermont, and completed their family when Jill was born in 1995. As long nights were spent cranking out successful grants on her clicky keyboard, Gina was devoted to bringing joy into her home--heart-shaped pancakes on snow days, the world's best Easter egg hunt clues, homemade birthday cakes, themed New Year’s Eve and Valentine’s Day parties with friends and neighbors, and the legendary brownies that magically appeared no matter the hour.

Gina raised more than $12 million in grant funding for student safety and mental health programs. She used her quiet influence to play a founding role in community organizations--the Ultimate Party, Rick's Place, HWP4Y, Scantic Valley Y, Minnechaug building committee, and the new Wilbraham Senior Center. Her career was devoted to building strong communities, spanning programs over the local, state, and national level. Throughout all the professional achievements, she held on to her reverence for education, earning an EdD at the age of 58 with a dissertation on student bereavement.

In the winter of 2023 when Gina was diagnosed with brain cancer, brain surgery quickly followed. She was determined to regain the exceptional communication skills that had served her throughout life, working with speech and physical therapists to remain independent.

Gina is survived by Jay, her husband of 48 years, her children Jason and his wife Liz Exton, Jeffrey, Jared and his partner Kaitlin Chatterton, and Jillian and her husband Chris O’Brien. She will be remembered as Nanna by her grandchildren Sam and Penny. She also leaves behind nieces and a nephew, extended family, her devoted caretaker Germaine, colleagues, and dear friends.

Visitation will be held on Friday, January 17th from 3-7PM at Wilbraham Funeral Home, 2551 Boston Rd, Wilbraham. Family and friends may meet for Gina’s Celebration of Life Service on Saturday, January 18th at 10AM at St. Cecilia Church, 42 Main St., Wilbraham. Burial will be private and at the convenience of the family. In lieu of flowers, please consider a memorial contribution to The Jimmy Fund https://danafarber.jimmyfund.org/site/Donation2?df_id=2118 or to Rick's Place https://ricksplacema.org/donate/ .