Mary Curtis Hall

Mary Curtis Hall of Smith Road, Ashfield died at Buckley Healthcare in Greenfield on July 27. She was born in Taunton MA to Ruby Whitehouse Curtis and Walter E. Curtis. Her early years were in Segregansett MA, Yarmouth ME, Sudbury MA and Gardner MA, where she graduated from high school. She graduated from Bates College, her mother’s alma mater, in 1943, and in the following fall began teaching social studies at Sanderson Academy in Ashfield, continuing through 1946. In 1945 she married Richard Sears Hall of Ashfield, who pre-deceased her in 1992.

            She raised five boys, managed a household and helped manage and operate the family dairy farm. She returned to Sanderson Academy from 1963 until 1986, teaching special education and second grade.

            She joined St. John’s Church in Ashfield shortly after her arrival in town and maintained an active involvement there for the remainder of her life, almost 75 years, serving in many volunteer capacities. After her family and her profession, the church and its spiritual life were the most important focus of her life, a quiet passion.

            She enjoyed a long and active retirement. Her activities included church responsibilities, family gatherings, baby-sitting grandchildren, traveling with her husband, visiting friends and family in Maine, reading prodigiously and writing, quilting and gardening.

            She is survived by her brother Robert Curtis of Olympia WA and his wife Helen, her sons Addison of Ashfield and his wife Jody Skinger Hall, Walter of North Granby CT and his wife Marianne Curling, Seth of Sacramento CA and his wife Celia, and Philip of Franklin MA and his wife Gretchen; also by five grandchildren, and numerous nieces and nephews. In addition to her husband she lost her daughter, Ruth Priscilla, aged three days; her brother Donald, her son, Robert, and her grandson, John Skinger Hall.

            Her funeral will be held at St. John’s Church in Ashfield at 2 p.m. on August 16th, followed by burial at the Hill Cemetery (Norton Hill Road, Ashfield) and a reception at the Curtis House, adjacent to St. John’s Church. Visiting hours will be from 6.30-8.30 p.m. on August 15th, at Smith-Kelleher in Shelburne Falls. In lieu of flowers donations may be made to St. John’s Church, P.O. Box 253, Ashfield 01330.

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