FALMOUTH – Priscilla (Bunker) DePetris quietly slipped away at the age of 96, on Jan. 15, 2022, surrounded by her children.

The eldest daughter of Stanley and Sally Bunker, Priscilla was born in Melrose, Mass., and spent the majority of her childhood and married life there. She graduated from Melrose High School in 1942 and Simmons College in 1946, after which she worked as secretary to the executive officer of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.

She married John DePetris in 1949 and they raised five children at their home in Melrose, Mass. while escaping every summer to their cherished family cottage in Raymond.

She worked as a medical secretary for a local obstetrician and later as the office administrator at the Melrose Unitarian Universalist Church. She found many rewarding opportunities during her years in Melrose, Mass. which included Girl Scout Leader for adolescents with special needs; volunteer at the Red Cross and local hospital gift shop; President of Melrose Interfaith; member of Kappa Delta Psi Sorority; volunteer and check writer for the infamous “Kappa Swap Shop;” and serving on the Melrose Visiting Nurse Service Board for over 11 years.

After John died in 2002, a husband she described as “the best,” she carried on bravely, eventually making the monumental decision to move to OceanView Retirement Community in Falmouth in 2008, where she thrived. She quickly embraced this new chapter of her life, easily forming friendships and enjoying new activities, including mahjong and tai chi, bible study and poetry readings. She loved taking new residents under her wing, serving on the Library Committee, and being a “senior teacher” when the first graders would visit. In 2020, she made the move to Falmouth House, OceanView’s assisted living facility.

Priscilla was an ardent reader and book club member; crossword and cryptoquip enthusiast; keeper of old sayings and ditties; lover of Chinese buffet and church suppers, fish chowder and coffee ice cream. Her motto, “if you want to walk on water, you have to get out of the boat,” was heard often as she faced recent major challenges; even so, her sense of humor never wavered. Some of her favorite spaces include the Weekapaug Inn, where summer jobs and serendipity sparked a marriage lasting 52 years; Road Scholar destinations; Bermuda; Panther Pond’s “bowlful of diamonds;” the Falmouth Congregational Church and East Raymond Chapel; and anywhere she could hear the loons or feed a chipmunk, see the sunset, or “look at that view!” She enjoyed watching the Patriots, doing jigsaw puzzles, and good conversations with family and friends.

Priscilla was predeceased by her sister, Frances “Billie” Washburn.

She will be sadly missed by her other sister, Carolyn Rogers, of Rochester, N.H.; her children Jeanne-Marie Frost and husband Blayne of Augusta, Rick of Southport, NC., Ron and wife Barbara of Houston, Texas, Laura Kane and husband Steven of Standish, and Amy Easland and husband Jeff of San Francisco; her nine grandchildren, Stacy, Nick, Anna, Zita, Jennifer, Tim, Meaghan, Zack, and Jenner; as well as nine great-grandchildren.

Heartfelt thanks go out to all her special friends and helpful staff at both OceanView and Falmouth House, where our family was repeatedly told how much she was loved and would be missed.

A Celebration of Priscilla’s Life will be held this summer. Arrangements are under the direction of the Conroy-Tully Walker Funeral Home, 1024 Broadway, South Portland.

Memorial contributions can be made to the

Joslin Diabetes Center, Inc.

One Joslin Place,

Boston, MA 02215

or online at

http://www.joslin.org/support-joslin/ways-give

Copy the Story Link

« Previous

Obituary: Sister Mary Bernadette Hayden R.S.M

Next »

Obituary: Michael J. Ahern