Margery Barrett

American; Female; 1910-2000

Margery Barrett (1910-2000) grew up in Adams, MA and was an integral part of the community she loved. She graduated from the former Adams High School and from the North Adams Normal School (now the Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts) in 1929. She was a teacher in the local schools as well as president of her church guild, a Sunday school teacher, member of the Adams’ Girls Club and an accomplished photographer. Margery married William Barrett, with whom she shared half her life with until his death in 1969.

Margery and William Barrett of the Barrett Fund at Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation.Margery established the Fund for Adams, Cheshire and Savoy to support a better quality of life in the towns she cared about, using Specialty Minerals stock inherited from family. The Fund supports elder services, arts programs, after school activities, environmental protection and a wide variety of community education programs.

Margery established the fund and increased her income during her lifetime by creating a charitable remainder trust. The Fund awarded grants anonymously for several years, giving her the joy of seeing her generosity support organizations around her. Upon Margery’s death, the remainder of her trust was added to the Fund and at her instruction, her name was publicly announced for the first time.