Priscilla Elaine Ferrell, seated outdoors among garden greenery, wearing a green floral dress and white cardigan.

In Loving Memory

Priscilla Elaine Ferrell

March 2, 1944 – August 15, 2026

Springfield, Massachusetts

Priscilla Elaine Ferrell, 82, of Springfield, Massachusetts, passed away peacefully on August 15, 2026. Her life was a testament to love, faith, and strength, and she will be deeply missed by all who knew her.

She was born on March 2, 1944 in Fremont, Iowa, to Harold and Elaine Wilkins. Growing up as the daughter of an Air Force officer, she moved frequently but had a capacity to fit in quickly and made friends around the country.

Priscilla dedicated her life to her career as a teacher at both the high school and university level, including for many years at Nazareth University in Rochester, New York. She was known for her humor, intelligence, faith, and commitment, and her work left a lasting mark on her colleagues and community.

She was a devoted mother to Sean and Matthew, and a loving grandmother to Aidan. She is survived by her husband, David Ferrell, her siblings Mary Jean Ruggieri and Harry Wilkins, her children, grandson, and nieces and nephews.

Priscilla had a passion for gardening (often to the point of heat stroke), sewing, the arts, church, and bad puns. Her quick wit brought joy to everyone she met, and she never met a bad sci-fi movie that she didn’t love (The “Classics”).

A private service will be held this Fall in Tabor, Iowa, location of the Wilkins family plot. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to Reading Is Fundamental at rif.org.

Priscilla will be deeply missed by all whose lives she touched. Her legacy lives on through her family, friends, and the countless kindnesses she shared throughout her life. We will remember her with love and gratitude.