Anne J. Perkins

PETERSHAM- Anne J. (Hervieux) Perkins, 89, of Petersham, died Thursday, August 11, at the Rose Monahan Hospice Home in Worcester, surrounded by her loving family. She was born November 4, 1926, in Paris, France, daughter of the late Pierre and Winifred (Adams) Hervieux. She and her husband met at the American Embassy in Paris and married in 1948. While her husband was assigned by the US Department of State to Frankfurt, Germany, Mrs. Perkins worked with holocaust survivors under the Displaced Persons Act. They moved to the United States in 1949, she became a U.S. citizen in 1952. The Perkins Family lived in Boston, MA, San Antonio, TX, Birmingham, MI, West Hartford, CT, Hingham, MA, Hampden, ME, and Millbury, MA. While living in Michigan, Mrs. Perkins was instrumental in founding the Unitarian Church Bloomfield Hills. At various times in her life, she also served as the President of the League of Women Voters in Hingham, she served on the National Board of SANE and the National Board of the YWCA, and was extremely active in the Democratic Party up until her death. She was active in the Unitarian Church in the communities in which she lived and also in United Church of Christ in Hampden, ME and Millbury, MA during her husband’s ministries. In 1988 she and her husband retired and settled in Petersham, MA. She integrated into the community becoming very active in the First Congregational Parish Unitarian, Petersham, the Petersham Lions Club, she served on the Executive Board of the Petersham Library, and worked as a volunteer at the Barre Health Center. Mrs. Perkins was a strong and loyal supporter of the Petersham Country Store. In 2013 Mrs. Perkins received an Unsung Heroine Award from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, Commission on the Status of Women in recognition of her many years of dedicated service to the community. Her husband of 63 years, Rev. Arthur W. Perkins, died February 22, 2012. She was also predeceased by her son, Peter Palfrey Perkins in 2016, and her great grandson, Joshua S. Dempsey in 2009. She leaves one son, David H. Perkins of San Francisco, CA; one daughter, Louise W. Perkins of Salem, MA; three grandchildren, Sarah L. Perkins, Anna M. Perkins, and Seth W. Perkins, of New Brunswick and Alberta, Canada; five great grandchildren, Aja Dempsey Dylan Gillies, Thayne Gillies, Jayla Mallaley, and Chayse Gillies; one sister, Janine Rucker of W. Columbia, SC; one sister-in-law, Cornelia Zinsser of Bedford, MA; numerous nieces and nephews. A memorial service will be held in the First Congregational Parish Unitarian of Petersham, Saturday, November 5, at 11am Burial will follow in East Street Cemetery, Petersham. Memorial donations may be made to: The Southern Poverty Law Center 400 Washington Ave., Montgomery, AL 36104 https://www.splcenter.org or The East Quabbin Land Trust P.O. Box 5, 120 Ridge Road, Hardwick, MA 01037 https://eqlt.org