The Hampton Antiquarian and Historical Society is deeply privileged to house a growing collection of Hampton-provenanced items, textiles, ceramics, metal goods, and paper ephemera among them. As a living museum, these curated artifacts all contribute to a setting emulating the way a 19th and early 20th century home and boarding house would be furnished.
It was with piqued interest that the Society was recently contacted by the daughter of a long-time Hampton resident to inquire about the bequest of a quilt.
The resident, Lois Kelley; the bequest, made by her daughter, Daisy, of upstate New York.
Yes, indeed! – the Society was excited to receive the quilt. It is a large, comforting true beauty, a double-sided quilt with the log cabin design on the reverse, and squares on the obverse created by family, friends and acquaintances of Lois’. In many cases, the squares are embellished with the names or initials of the creator, as well as various appliqued patches from significant businesses and organizations of importance to both Lois and her husband, Robert.
Lois received the quilt squares with delight at Christmas of 1981, and assembly began in 1982 or 1983 by Lois and close friends. The quilt was named ‘Sunshine’ for the way the sun plays across its surface.
And who was Lois? She was most notably known as the first director of the Goodwin Conservation Center between the years of 1970 and 1986. She was affectionately referred to as ‘Mother Nature’ and known as one of Goodwin’s integral and dearest friends. After her retirement, she brought her considerable knowledge to Old Sturbridge Village as a featured performer and interpreter for over 20 years. She eventually moved to Indian Lake, New York to be closer to family. She never really left Hampton, though, as she was on the Hampton Gazette editorial board from 1995 to 2000. She contributed over 70 articles from 1978 to 1999, including one in the very first issue titled ‘The Bear Truth’, reporting on (then) rumored sightings. Lois contributed articles of historical interest, and answered questions about the flora, fauna and natural environment of Hampton.
Hampton photographer Pete Vertefeuille was influenced by both Lois and Robert throughout his entire life, even being convinced by Lois to give a photographic presentation of his works at the Conservation Center.
Lois herself was a published poet, writing the award-winning ‘Elegy to a Wild Cherry’. She described it as the most difficult poem she would ever write, and it was as well her last written poem. It follows here:
Elegy to a Wild Cherry
The Choke Cherry is gone
Cut by a beaver.
I miss the cherry
My calendar of the seasons
Before the new leaves strings of white flowers
Followed in Summer
By small colorful berries
In Fall the leaves turned yellow
Announcing that time was coming for the long winter rest.
A tree is more than a sum of its parts
With the flowers there are bees
With the fruits hordes of avian aerialists eager to feed
I ponder how we were surprisingly alike, the tree and I
Both products of nature
Each, in its own way “hibernating” through the winter
And bursting with growth and activity with warm weather
I miss the tree
But better,
Yesterday I saw a young shoot coming up from the old roots.
I will not live long enough to see my calendar again
But my grandchildren will.
Lois W. Kelley
Lois passed on December 25th, 2018. Her daughter, Daisy, considered her passing on Christmas as a gift.
“I agree with Daisy,” Jo Freeman said. “Perfect timing for this diminutive dynamo of a woman.”
Looking ever outward, at her passing Lois suggested donations be made to a local soup kitchen in her memory or make a good soup to share.
June Pawlikowski Miller
The Hampton Antiquarian and Historical Society will be contributing regular columns in the Gazette featuring Hampton treasures housed in “Hampton’s Attic”.