A Truly Remarkable Person!
by Hazel Varella
Soon after we moved to Easton in 1945, Mrs. Frothingham, for whom my father worked, wanted my mother and me to meet a person whom she greatly respected, Mrs. David Ames. Several months later she called us to come to her home “Wayside” to meet her. Mrs. Frothingham was very proud of having her and the children living with her for a brief time in the 1940’s.
Since that time, many years ago, I have always been impressed by her commitment to her family and to Easton. Mr. and Mrs. David Ames were charter members of the Historical Society in 1948, and she was disappointed that by 1958, it was no longer active. When several of us reorganized it in 1967, she was thrilled, and both her husband and she became very active. Through the extensive efforts of David Ames, the H. H. Richardson Old Colony Railroad Station became the headquarters of the Easton Historical Society in 1969.
In 1991 she had a special outside sign made for the Society in her husband’s memory. By 2007 due to weathering-conditions throughout the years, the sign had to be replaced. The new Society sign, prepared by Roger McNamara, was dedicated again by Mrs. Ames in her husband’s memory. Also speaking were William and Frederick Ames.
May 31, 2009 at the Society’s annual meeting at “Queset”, Mrs. Ames reminisced about “Queset” and the residents she knew when she had moved to Easton. In 2011 she participated in the reenactment of Amory Parker’s and Ruth Smith’s 1951 play “Life in Easton Years Ago”. Still another important day was October 14th, 2012, the centennial anniversary of “Wayside”. Special guests were Mrs. Ames, David Ames, Jr. and Frederick Ames. The first two had lived there while their home at 50 Oliver Street was being built.
As co-editor of Reminiscences, her articles have definitely been appreciated. In the first volume she shared her early memories of Easton; in the second volume she wrote about her “Memories of Ames Relatives”, and the third volume “From a Wedding to a Funeral” written with William Ames. This focused on the cremation experiment William Hadwen Ames conducted behind “Queset”. (She had shared the information at the rededication of the Station November 7, 2009.) Each year I had sent her the current volume, and I always received a very special appreciation letter.
Her commitment to the Ames Free Library, I believe was done with her husband to honor Mrs. Frothingham. Mrs. Ames was a Director from 1958 to 1990. During that time she was the Secretary from 1976 to 1988. Many special Library occasions were funded by her—as recently as May 18 of this year.
In the early 1980’s I was given the opportunity to look at the records of the Easton Nursing Association, Inc., one of the oldest nursing associations in Massachusetts. In 1980 it merged with Community Health Agency, Inc. of Attleboro. Mrs. Ames was extremely active in facilitating many activities and had served as President.
Her quiet graciousness is something I always admired. Obviously there were many other ways she was involved in Easton, including Unity Church. Her pride in her three sons continuing the Ames traditions at Frothingham Memorial Park, Ames Free Library, and Oakes Ames Memorial Hall was definitely evident. She will be missed.
A TRULY REMARKABLE PERSON!
by Hazel Varella