Martha Conant

1931 - 2024

Martha Conant

Conway, MA - Martha Conant, longtime resident of Conway, Massachusetts, and member of Saint Mark's church, passed away on March 8, 2024, at Saint Patrick's Manor in Framingham, Massachusetts.

Born in Brattleboro, Vermont on October 4, 1931, she was the daughter of the late Dr. Roland E. and Martha (Terrien) McSweeney. She attended St Michael's School in Brattleboro and graduated from Stoneleigh Prospect Hill School for Girls in Greenfield Massachusetts in 1950. She attended the University of Vermont in Burlington, living with her grandparents Alexander and Martha Terrien and enjoying the company of her many McSweeney and Terrien cousins. While studying English and History at UVM, she also trained in teaching remedial reading, and graduated in 1954.

While a student at Stoneleigh she met John B. Conant. They were married in August of 1954 and began their life together in Leominster. They moved to Conway in 1960 and in 1962 bought their home on Boyden Road where they lived for the next 21 years. They purchased the house on Newhall Road in 1983. After John passed away in 2014, Martha lived on Newhall Road until 2018 when she moved to Framingham.

Martha began her teaching career as an itinerant remedial reading teacher travelling to Charlemont, Heath and Rowe schools. She was next employed at Buckland Colrain Shelburne school teaching grades 4 to 6. She left there to teach at Sanderson Academy in Ashfield, becoming head teacher and then principal. While at Sanderson she began an exchange with program with Colegio Hamilton in Mexico City. She retired from teaching in 1994.

Martha was a founding member of the Conway Garden Club and the Festival of the Hills, celebrating the history of the town. With John, she enjoyed their many friends, raising their children, and welcoming many into their home. They traveled throughout New England and Ireland and England. An avid reader, Martha especially enjoyed British novels.

She is survived by her sister Jane Wishart, and her six children, Alexandra and her partner Jen, Timothy and his wife Joi, Christopher and his wife Noreen, John and his partner Vicki, Justus and his partner Beth, and Sophia and her husband Michael. She is also survived by her grandchildren, Elizabeth and Conor, Joshua and Mariah, Maura, Chris, Ann, Michael, Patrick, Joseph, James and John, Liam, Declan and Brendan. Her great grandchildren are Gianna, Adyana, Jordan, Chiara, Magdala, Eloise, and Serafina. She is also survived by her two bonus daughters Mirka Prazak and her husband Robert Pini and Meral Murat Kahn and her husband Salim. She will be missed by her Conant, Benjamin, Wishart and McSweeney nieces and nephews. She was predeceased by her parents, her brother R. Terence McSweeney, and granddaughter Devon.

Visiting hours will be held at Wrisley Funeral Home, 90 Sugarloaf Street, South Deerfield, Massachusetts on Friday March 15 from 4 pm to 7 pm. A funeral Mass will be held on Saturday March 16 at 10 AM, St. Mark's Church, 169 Delabarre Avenue, Conway Massachusetts.

Donations in her memory to the Field Memorial Library or St Mark's Church in Conway would be appreciated by the family.

Donate by check to "Field Memorial Library" and send to:

Director, Field Memorial Library

1 Elm St., PO. Box 189

Conway, MA 01341-0189

Donate by check to "St. Mark's Church" and send to

St. Mark's Church

c/o Holy Family Parish

29 Sugarloaf Street

South Deerfield, Massachusetts 01373

Wrisley Funeral Home