MARY MELISSA AVERY

AVERY, Mary Melissa Born in Woburn, Massachusetts, on January 25, 1931, Mary was a conservationist, skilled equestrian, and inspiration to all who knew her. She spent her childhood years in Belmont, Massachusetts with summers on Newfound Lake in Bristol, New Hampshire. Mary graduated from Beaver Country Day School and Skidmore College with a major in Biology. She married Paul F. Avery, Jr. in 1953 and raised three sons in Weston, Massachusetts and Kensington, New Hampshire. Mary and Paul loved to travel with their closest friends from the U.S. and Europe. However, her favorite place was her home in Kensington, where she practiced dressage, raised dogs, and worked in her gardens, while supporting local organizations including the New Hampshire Farm Museum and the Southeast Land Trust. Mary was a devoted mother and champion of traditions. She remained an eager learner and intellectually curious to her final days. Her grace and kindness have left a lasting impression. To the end, Mary fully participated in life. An engaging listener, genuinely attentive and delighting in the uniqueness of anyone she met. Never missing a beat, Mary would often offer thoughtful questions and gently share her deep wisdom. A lover of the wonders of nature that were reflected in Mary's bright presence. She will be sorely missed. Mary is survived by her sons, F. Lincoln Avery, Paul F. Avery, III, and Christopher W. Avery; her eight grandchildren; and her great grandson. In lieu of flowers, please consider a gift in Mary's memory to the Southeast Land Trust of New Hampshire www.seltnh.org or the Seacoast Science Center in Rye, NH www.seacoastsciencecenter.org/join-give/donate/ Burial will be private. A Celebration of Life for both Mary and Paul be held at 11:00 am, on September 10, 2023, at the Seacoast Science Center in Rye, New Hampshire. Arrangements in care of Stanetsky Funeral Home, BROOKLINE. Complete notice to appear on Thursday, March 30, 2023.