IN LOVING MEMORY OF
Geraldine M.
(Mcdonald) Ayers
March 7, 1922 – November 25, 2009
Obituary
Salem…..
Geraldine M. (McDonald) Ayers, age 87, wife of the late Frederick F. Ayers died Wednesday afternoon in the Kaplan Family Hospice House following a long illness.
Born in Boston, the daughter of the late John and Gertrude (Dunn) McDonald, she was raised in Dorchester. She graduated from Girl's High School, Boston in the Class of 1940. She was then employed at Westinghouse in Boston as a secretary. She joined the Peabody Museum in 1965 as a staff secretary and eventually became the Managing Editor of the American Neptune Journal of Maritime History. She was the first woman to be listed on the journal's masthead. Mrs. Ayers was an honorary member of the Salem Marine Society.
A dedicated, loving wife and mother she was a past president of the Beverly B.PO.E Elks Lodge 1309 Emblem Club and was a member of the St. Mary's Convent Guild. Mrs. Ayers looked forward to and enjoyed her weekly knitting woman's club that met to share tea, conversation and wonderful deserts.
She is survived by four children William Ayers of Salem, James Ayers and his wife Kimberley of Salem, Patricia McGrattan and her husband Brian of Ashland and Michael Ayers and his wife Robin of Martha's Vineyard; two sisters Marion Pomfret of Mashpee and Evelyn York of CT; seven grandchildren Benjamin and Austin Ayers of Nebraska, Bridget and Bradford Ayers of Salem, Kathryn, Stephany, and Geoffrey McGrattan of Ashland and several nieces and nephews.
She was predeceased by a brother Frederick McDonald and a sister Rita Coughlin.
Her funeral will be held on Tuesday, December 1, 2009 at 9:15 A.M. from the Murphy Funeral Home, 85 Federal St., (cor of North St) Salem to be followed by a funeral Mass at 10:00 A.M. in the Immaculate Conception Church, 15 Hawthorne Blvd., Salem. Relatives and friends are respectfully invited to attend. Visiting hours will be Monday from 2:00 P.M. to 4:00 P.M. and 7:00 P.M. to 9:00 P.M. Interment will be in St. Mary's Cemetery, Salem. Those who wish may make memorial contributions to Hospice of the North Shore, 75 Sylvan St. Suite B-102 Danvers, MA 01923 or to the Alzheimer's Foundation of America, 322 Eight Ave., 7th Floor, New York, NY 10001. For online guest book or additional information please call 978 744 0497 or visit www.MurphyFuneralHome.com.
Geraldine M. (McDonald) Ayers, age 87, wife of the late Frederick F. Ayers died Wednesday afternoon in the Kaplan Family Hospice House following a long illness.
Born in Boston, the daughter of the late John and Gertrude (Dunn) McDonald, she was raised in Dorchester. She graduated from Girl's High School, Boston in the Class of 1940. She was then employed at Westinghouse in Boston as a secretary. She joined the Peabody Museum in 1965 as a staff secretary and eventually became the Managing Editor of the American Neptune Journal of Maritime History. She was the first woman to be listed on the journal's masthead. Mrs. Ayers was an honorary member of the Salem Marine Society.
A dedicated, loving wife and mother she was a past president of the Beverly B.PO.E Elks Lodge 1309 Emblem Club and was a member of the St. Mary's Convent Guild. Mrs. Ayers looked forward to and enjoyed her weekly knitting woman's club that met to share tea, conversation and wonderful deserts.
She is survived by four children William Ayers of Salem, James Ayers and his wife Kimberley of Salem, Patricia McGrattan and her husband Brian of Ashland and Michael Ayers and his wife Robin of Martha's Vineyard; two sisters Marion Pomfret of Mashpee and Evelyn York of CT; seven grandchildren Benjamin and Austin Ayers of Nebraska, Bridget and Bradford Ayers of Salem, Kathryn, Stephany, and Geoffrey McGrattan of Ashland and several nieces and nephews.
She was predeceased by a brother Frederick McDonald and a sister Rita Coughlin.
Her funeral will be held on Tuesday, December 1, 2009 at 9:15 A.M. from the Murphy Funeral Home, 85 Federal St., (cor of North St) Salem to be followed by a funeral Mass at 10:00 A.M. in the Immaculate Conception Church, 15 Hawthorne Blvd., Salem. Relatives and friends are respectfully invited to attend. Visiting hours will be Monday from 2:00 P.M. to 4:00 P.M. and 7:00 P.M. to 9:00 P.M. Interment will be in St. Mary's Cemetery, Salem. Those who wish may make memorial contributions to Hospice of the North Shore, 75 Sylvan St. Suite B-102 Danvers, MA 01923 or to the Alzheimer's Foundation of America, 322 Eight Ave., 7th Floor, New York, NY 10001. For online guest book or additional information please call 978 744 0497 or visit www.MurphyFuneralHome.com.
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