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Anna Marie (Sullivan Reed) Amidon

Charlemont, MA – Anna Marie (Sullivan Reed) Amidon, 93, of Charlemont, MA, formerly of Hollis, NH and Sebastian, Florida, passed away peacefully at home on Friday, July 7, 2017 after a short battle with cancer. Her love of reading was eclipsed only by her love of story telling.

Anna Marie’s soul could not be constrained by societal rules. She lived to try things she was not supposed to, hang-gliding at the age of 50, traveling cross-country on the Green Tortoise at 60, and riding her tricycle in Florida up to the age of 93. She spread love and laughter everywhere she went, making friends and telling stories. With her beautiful broad New England “a,” she often reported that she had laughed and danced and had a wonderful time.

Born on August 15, 1923 in Sunderland, MA, she was the daughter of Dr. Frederick Devlin Sullivan, Sr. and Lillian Anna (Cromack) Sullivan. She was raised in Turners Falls, MA and graduated from Turners Falls High School. She was the widow of Aubrey Otis Amidon, Jr. of Hollis, NH, and was predeceased by her former husband Harlie Merton Reed of Kensington, CT.

One of ten siblings, she was predeceased by Helen Louise Sullivan, Dr. Frederick Devlin Sullivan, Jr., Lucille Elinor (Sullivan) Slack, Jean Elizabeth (Sullivan) Harrison, Elaine Phlois (Sullivan) Hepburn, Gayle Sidney Sullivan, and Alan Howard Sullivan.

She is survived by two brothers, Donald Roger Sullivan and his wife Gladys Catherine (Damon) Sullivan of Spokane, WA; Dennis James Sullivan and his wife Frances (Conklin) Sullivan, of Cottonwood, ID; and sisters-in-law Abagail (Hudson) Sullivan of Grangeville, ID; Virginia Caroline (Wofsy) Sullivan of Lenoir City, TN; Sandra Lee (Culligan) Sullivan of Laramie, WY; Pauline Ann (Poudrier) Sullivan of Rathdrum, ID; and Helena Isabella (Ross) Amidon of Bernardston, MA.

She is survived by her daughters, Bonnie Lee (Reed, Amidon) Nugent and her partner, Dale Alan Bulmer, of Charlemont, MA and Sebastian, FL; and Ruth Marie (Amidon) Lavoie and her husband, John Leo Lavoie, of Hollis, NH; and sons, Arthur Roy Amidon and his wife, Linda Ann (Biniewicz) Dahlmann; and Arnold James Amidon and his wife, Eleanor Woolf (Fleming) Amidon, all of Boston, MA.

Anna Marie was predeceased by her grandsons, Philip Alan Nugent; and Deric Scott Nugent and by his wife Diane Irene (Veber) Nugent.

She is survived by her grandchildren Lisa Marie Lavoie and her husband John Ross Mayer and their sons Dwight Macaulay and Duncan Michael Mayer all of Salem, MA; Donald John Lavoie and his wife Andrea (Foley) Lavoie of Ross Lake Camps, ME; Sara Ruth Lavoie of Scituate, MA; Adrien Aubrey Lavoie and his wife Nadine (Vokey) Lavoie and their children, Maggie Elise, Audrey Eileen, and John William Lavoie, all of Hollis, NH; Kristen Alena Dahlmann and her husband Dr. Neel Madan and their children, Ella Jasmine Morni, Meera Camille Anya, and Kairan Wolf Chand Madan, all of Concord, MA; and Brian James Dahlmann and his wife Anna Sofia Erika Göthlin and their children Tor Love, Freja My, and Siri Liv Dahlmann Göthlin, all of Belfast, ME.

She will be missed by relatives, including many nieces and nephews and their children, and by many friends.

As early as the 1950s, Anna Marie registered with the Eye Bank to donate her eyes. Given the age and condition of her eyes, Anna Marie instead opted to donate her whole body for medical research through the Tufts Anatomical Gift Program, Tufts Medical School, Boston, MA. This program is vital to the training of new physicians. Information is available at http://medicine.tufts.edu/Education/Tufts-Anatomical-Gift-Program.

In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to Hospice of Franklin County, Greenfield, MA, whose staff graciously assisted Anna Marie in her final days. http://www.hospicefc.org/donate/

A Celebration of Life gathering for friends and family will be held on Sunday, July 16th from 1 P.M. to 4 P.M. at the Alpine Grove Annex, 19 South Depot Rd. Route 111A, Hollis NH. www.alpinegrove.com.