Althea Grace Stamp

STAMP, Althea Grace (Dawes) Age 93, of Cohasset, formerly of Hull and Johannesburg, South Africa died peacefully in her sleep on August 11th at the Southeast Rehabilitation and Skilled Care Center, North Easton, Massachusetts. Born in Newark, New Jersey, she was raised in Evanston, Illinois by her mother, Grace Baxter Dawes, and her stepfather, William M. Dawes, the nephew of Vice-President Charles G. Dawes. In 1940 General Dawes aided Althea to travel by boat to England to marry the Hon. Colin Stamp, fourth son of Lord Stamp of Shortlands, Kent, economist and business leader. Daughters Judith, Patricia and Mareba Jocelyn were born during Colin's wartime service in the Royal Navy. In 1947 the family moved to South Africa, where Colin opened the first branch of American Express, and where another daughter, Rowena, was born. Althea traveled extensively in Africa, Europe and Latin America with Colin and the family, and was an active volunteer in Johannesburg charities, co-founding the Martha Washington Club for expatriate American women. Following her divorce from Colin in 1956, Althea, an adventurous woman, took her daughters on extended safaris in Eastern and Southern Africa, instilling in them a deep love of the continent and its peoples. In 1966, after sending each daughter in turn to study in Massachusetts, she herself returned to the United States and took up residence in the house she inherited from her mother on Black Rock beach, Hull. She lived there until 1993, practicing real estate in Cohasset, volunteering with Fish, and swimming out to Black Rock Island in the summer. Her stepfather William Dawes lived with her until his death in 1985. Between 1993 and 2006 Althea shared happy retirement years with Eleanor Smith of Cohasset, enjoying the frequent visits of Eleanor's three daughters and her own four, participating in Cohasset's community activities, and continuing to volunteer for Fish. In 2007 Althea moved to Southeast Rehab, where she received outstanding care that was much appreciated by the family. Althea is survived by her daughters, Judith Stamp and Patricia Stamp, both of Toronto Canada, Mareba Jos of Boston and Rowena Olwell of Tyro, VA; and by five grandchildren, and one great grandchild, and will be remembered with deepest love. A Memorial Service will be celebrated at St. Stephen's Episcopal Church, Cohasset, Tuesday, August 11th, at 2 p.m. Donations may be made in Althea's memory to the Scituate Etrusco Association, 1 Common Street, Scituate, MA 02066 (781 545-4411). For an online guestbook please visit, www.mcnamara-sparrell.com McNamara-Sparrell Funeral Homes Brighton-Cohasset-Norwell 781-383-0200