Frances King Dickinson Ackerly, of Cambridge, MA, and Lyme Center, NH,
died peacefully at age 80 from complications of a cerebral hemorrhage.
Frances grew up in Marion, VA, as the daughter of a lawyer father and physician mother. She graduated from Vassar College in 1952 with a major in Education. While working at Children’s Hospital in Philadelphia, she
met her husband William Ackerly, M.D. They married in 1952, moved to
Boston in 1955, and then lived in Cambridge for 51 years, also maintaining
a residence in Lyme Center, NH, for 45 years.
Frances dedicated all her life to educating and caring for children. She
received her M.Ed. at Tufts University in early childhood education,
taught nursery school and child development, and was the Director of the
Middle School at Buckingham, Browne, & Nichols from 1976 to 1991. She was
an advocate for the leadership of women in education.
After her retirement, she was an active member of the board of Friends of
Henry Wadsworth Longfellow House National Historic Site, volunteered at
the First Parish Unitarian Universalist Church, and was on the board of
the Cambridge Forum. She was active in local political campaigns and was
an avid historian of George Washington’s years as commander of the
revolutionary army in Cambridge.
Frances took pride in raising her four children, Spafford, John, David,
and Susan, and especially enjoyed her five grandsons, aged 4 to 11. Her
interests included weaving, chamber music, bird watching, the outdoors,
and world travel to every continent except Antarctica, the only place to
which she refused to accompany Bill. She was deeply inspired by her
meetings with His Holiness, the Dalai Lama, and his caring for the Tibetan
people. Her values, integrity, and honesty were an inspiration to her
family, friends, and colleagues.
There will be a Memorial Service at 4 pm on Friday, March 25, at the First
Parish Unitarian Universalist Church, Harvard Square. Rev. Fred Small
will conduct the Service of Remembrance and Celebration of her life. She
will be buried at Mt. Auburn Cemetery in a private family ceremony.
In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to: First Parish Unitarian
Universalist Church, 3 Church St., Cambridge, 02138; Friends of Henry
Wadsworth Longfellow House, 106 Brattle Street, Cambridge, 02138; or Lyme
Historians, PO Box 41, Lyme Center, NH, 03768.
Her family greatly appreciates the outpouring of love and support for her
during the last two months of her life.