FRANCES MAGEE

1929 - 2023

MAGEE--Frances Wells. Beloved mother, grandmother and great-grandmother, Frances Wells Magee died peacefully in her sleep on Sunday, January 1, 2023, after a brief illness. Franny was born on September 18, 1929, in Southbridge, MA to George Burnham Wells and Ruth Dyer Wells. She attended Dana Hall Academy and Bennington College, where she studied architecture. At Bennington she met and married Robert Bernhard, with whom she had four children: Adele Bernhard, Michael Bernhard, Susan Collins, and Steven Bernhard. In 1970 she married David Magee and became stepmother to his four children: Martha, Mary (Daisy), David and John Magee. With energy and opinion, Franny served as a trustee of Bennington College; she was a longtime trustee and president of the Citizens' Housing and Planning Council of New York, furthering her interest in city planning and advocating for affordable housing; she was a Director of the Abelard Foundation and a long-term trustee of Old Sturbridge Village, the living museum in Southbridge, MA that her grandfather started. Franny enjoyed birdwatching and traveled widely with her husband, David, to learn about different cultures and to observe and study bird species. Her outdoor feeders at home were always full of seed and song. Her keen eye and quick fingers fashioned exceptional hooked rugs. With style and humor, she collected unique objects and enjoyed sharing what she gathered. Her extensive and colorful assortment of pencil sharpeners entertained her grandchildren and great- grandchildren right up until her death. Franny is survived by her children and their spouses, her stepchildren, her nine grandchildren, and her seven great-grandchildren. A memorial service will be planned for the spring. Contributions in her name may be made to Old Sturbridge Village.