Constance Cutter

Constance Perry Gates Cutter of Cambridge passed away peacefully on July 29, at age 89. She is survived by her children Jane Norton Cutter, Nathaniel Appleton Cutter, and Rebecca Perry Cutter; her grandchildren Rachel Cutter Freeman, Zoe Salvato-Cutter, and Frances Perry Bell and Beatrice Harriet Bell; and beloved children-in-law Teresa Salvato and Benjamin Bell. She is also survived by her daughter Beth deHamel, with whom she was reunited later in life. She was preceded in death by husband Henry Sturgis Grew Cutter, sisters Barbara Chandler and Eleanor Gates and son-in-law Andrew Freeman.
Constance graduated from Smith College in 1957, earning a Masters Degree in Social Work. She married Henry Cutter in 1960 and worked for many years as a clinical social worker in the Alcoholism Clinic at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston and with the families of alcoholics at Dedham Family Services. In 1985 she earned her doctorate in public policy at Brandeis University with her dissertation on how adult children of alcoholic's find healing in the Al-Anon program. For much of her career, she worked in private practice as a counselor, making a deep impact on the lives of her clients.
Constance was a woman of deeply held principles. She was not afraid to take a stand for peace and social justice, first taking action in the early 1960s to write a letter to the producers of the children's program "Romper Room" to insist that Black children be represented in the cast. She marched against the Vietnam War, boycotted grapes in solidarity with the United Farm Workers, was an early member of the National Organization for Women, supported Shirley Chisolm's presidential primary run in 1972, and marched against the racist anti-busing mobs in Boston. In the 1970s she joined a radical therapy collective and helped write and edit "State and Mind: A Journal of Radical Therapy." Always ahead of her time, she wrote a highly critical book review of the allegedly feminist, anti-transgender book, "Transsexual Empire."
In 2001, she was shocked and horrified by the terrorist attack on the World Trade Center. Her response? To start organizing on behalf of Palestinian rights, seeing the question of Palestine as key to peace in the Middle East. She and Henry traveled to Palestine in 2002 with a group of activists from the First Parish Unitarian Universalist Church, where among other activities they met with mental health professionals trying to address the complex needs of Palestinians living under occupation.
Constance was a lifelong learner and in her 60s she undertook a serious study of yoga at the Kripalu Center, where she earned certification as an instructor. She then began teaching yoga to other senior citizens through a program created by the City of Cambridge, where she lived for over 60 years.
Constance was a deeply compassionate woman, beautiful inside and out. She was a devoted mother, grandmother, daughter, and sister, and she enjoyed many deep and long-lasting friendships. People naturally opened up to her, drawn in by her kind, non-judgmental demeanor. She loved the beaches and the people-watching in Provincetown, Massachusetts, and the peace and tranquility of Randolph, New Hampshire. She will be remembered for her unique style, her generosity and kindness as well as her wisdom and sensitivity. Service details to follow. In lieu of flowers, please make a donation to Palestine Children's Relief Fund (pcrf.net)
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