Mary Jane Sperry

ATHOL - Mary Jane Sperry died peacefully Sunday morning in her own home at the age of 86. Mary was born August 10, 1920 in Providence RI. She was the second child of Joseph and Anna Harlacker of Cranston, RI. Out of high school Mary went to and graduated from Katharine Gibbs Secretarial School and in 1942 she married Clint Sperry. The two moved through the south as Clint finished military flight training. A photograph of a South Carolina farmyard, during this time, with Mary smiling amidst a crowd of ducks and geese attends her lifetime love of animals and her joy from things of the earth. From here Clint would head for England to fight from the air and Mary would return to Cranston to produce their first child. In 1949 she and her young family, now including three children, moved to Petersham MA and except for a relatively short residence in Duxbury MA, Petersham would become the geographic and family center for Mary. Her forth child was born here and she took part in numerous town activities including Cub Scouts, craft fairs, school and church activities and benefit auctions. She loved restoring old things including old houses and her touch can be seen in several wonderful old houses in Petersham. She had a mothers ability to make a house a home but she would manage to somehow bring beauty and life to it as well. Mary is survived by her sister Anita, close friend and love David Broadbent, her sons Steve and Toby, her daughter Lisa, grandchildren Tim, Matt, Ben, Jared, Asia, Amelia, Lindsay, Peter, Kyle and great grandchild Maisy. Her husband Clint died in 01, her brother Joe in 02 and her daughter Marylee in 04. We miss them all. We miss Mary. A private service will be held by her family. Her ashes will remain in Petersham and Athol. In lieu of flowers please make a donation to your local MSPCA or Athol Memorial Hospital c/o Athol Memorial Hospital Tribute Fund. Fiske Funeral Home 1356 Main St., Athol is directing arrangements. $(document).ready(function(){ });