Anne Borntraeger Orser

1926 - 2021

Anne Borntraeger Orser, Born Sept. 4, 1926, Miller Field, Staten Island, NYC, Died Dec. 16, 2020 aged 94. Anne had been in home hospice care since August and passed peacefully surrounded by her children. Daughter of Anne Oldham and Col. Henry Winter Borntraeger. Married John Logan (Jack) Orser of Kalispell, Montana and Babson College, 1949. A self described "Army brat" she went to schools in Hawaii, Pennsylvania, Central Massachusetts, Panama, California, Michigan, Kansas, graduated Dana Hall School and Pine Manor College, additional studies at Boston MFA and Fogg Museum, Cambridge. Her education never ended, as she was a lifelong student of history, nature, art and art history. Anne and Jack were married in 1950 until his untimely death in 1992. They were known for many years by all in Wellesley Square as the proprietors of the Wellesley News Agency, aka, J.A.'s or by the kids of the day, (of which many were there employed), The Blues Agency, or alternatively, "the center of the universe." Anne took her love of books seriously and transformed the News Agency into a well stocked, treasure trove of books of all kinds. She took great delight in teaching nursery school and Sunday School at the Unitarian Universalist church, formerly on Weston Rd. Wellesley, then later in Natick. She instilled in her students and her children a love and respect for the natural world. A curious naturalist, she would participate in the annual Audubon Society bird census and always be aware of the birds in the area. A Volunteer to the Wellesley Historical Society and Friends of the Wellesley Free Library. Loyal Supporter of SPIN ( Stray Pets in Need, Natick, MA.). Member of the Fan Association of America, Audubon Society and Conservation Society. Inveterate traveler, from Lapland to Morocco, Turkey to France. Especial pleasure staying with family and friends in Montana, Mexico, Germany, England and exploring lesser known tourist spots. Red Sox and Celtics fan. In her words: "I was always a history buff even as a child, especially enjoyed hearing tales of Wellesley. My great-grandfather Oldham had voted to secede from Needham in 1881 (they packed the meeting and included every big, hefty fellow in the neighborhood!). My grandfather Oldham started the famous school boy rivalry of Wellesley High and Needham High on Thanksgiving Day. (He rode over to Needham on his bike.)" Even though I lived all over the world and went to school in something like 13 schools in 12 years, I did go to Wellesley schools for two very short times, about 3 weeks at Wellesley High (in 1938 and 1942). I always considered Wellesley and my grandparents place on Livermore Road as "Home Base" since we stayed there when we were between moves and many summers while my Daddy was running Civlian Conservation Corps. camps in Pennsylvania in the 1930's. The whole family has been enthusiastic and active in the Wellesley Historical Society since it started. The family (and that included me from childhood on) knew what seemed like everybody in town! Was delighted when we were able to buy the |Deming-Peabody house (part built in 1755). Survived by her three children, Anne-Elise (Holly) Rossignol, David Marshall Orser and Thomas Logan Orser. Special thanks to VNA home hospice care. No services, ashes to Oldham family plot-Woodland Cemetery, Wellesley. Donations in her memory to Massachusetts Audubon Society or Wellesley Historical Society.