Frances Mary (Anderson) Avery

Frances Mary Anderson Avery

Of Charlemont, MA., died February 27, 2020 at the age of 99.

She was born in Southwick, MA, April 18, 1920, the daughter of Carl A. and Cederia (Anderson) Anderson.  She attended the Mooretown one room school house Southwick Consolidated School, graduating from Westfield High School in 1936.  She earned a certificate from the Fashion Academy in New York City, then returned to her parent’s home from which she was employed by Forbes and Wallace of Springfield and where she met her husband.

She was married to Henry L. Avery Jr. on April 16, 1941.They had 53 wonderful years together until his death on February 2, 1995.  They lived in Charlemont for all but their first two years of marriage.

She enjoyed knitting, sewing, quilting, gardening, playing the piano, golfing, snowmobiling, and square dancing.  She had oil painting lessons with the late Stephen Maniatty and created and sold oil paintings of the hill town scenes.  She was a member of the Deerfield Art Association and the Shelburne Falls Bridge of Flowers Art Association.

After her son Dennis made the basic models, she finished and furnished models of the John Wright Mansion of Bellevue, Ohio (her mother-in-law Helen Wright’s family home) and the A. L. Avery & Son family store of Charlemont.  She also built and decorated two family dollhouses and a country bandstand in about 1/16 scale.

She was a member of the National Bell Association and held an extensive collection.  She made a study of the bell origins and construction and gave programs and family sing-a-longs.

She and Henry were long time members of the Federated Church.  She was active in the Ladies Aid and for eighteen years was a Sunday School teacher and superintendent.  She sang in the adult choir, played the organ and directed a youth choir.

She is survived by three sons; H. Bryant and wife Sze Ching of Surrey, B.C, Canada; Randall N. and wife Martha of Waynesville, NC;  Dennis C. and wife Karen Hogness of Charlemont, MA; one daughter, Margaret (Peggy) Stetzel and husband John of Guilford, VT; one sister Eleanor Hamlin of Ware, MA; four grandsons, Carl Avery, Jeffery Taylor, Luke Avery and Todd Avery; and four granddaughters, Brianna Avery Raab, Amy Taylor Legere, Laura Avery Cheek and Tessa Avery Anders; and numerous great grandchildren, nieces and nephews.  She is predeceased by a brother Theodore Anderson and a sister Cederia Elizabeth Anderson.

Calling hours are Wednesday, March 4th at Smith-Kelleher Funeral Home – 6 to 8 PM, 40 Church St. Shelburne Falls, MA 01339.

Funeral services will be on Thursday, March 5th – 1:00 PM at The Charlemont Federated Church with reception following.

In lieu of flowers, it is suggested that donations be made in her name to the Charlemont Federated Church, P. O. Box 240, 175 Main St., Charlemont, MA, 01339. 

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