Between 1961 and 1984, Margery Parcher’s yellow 1953 MG TD was a familiar sight on Duxbury streets. Margery Parcher loved the town, the beach, and especially the people. She was involved in many activities for both adults and children. Her friends described Margery has a warm, loving person who had a gift for making friends and putting people at ease. She was a painter, an avid tennis player, and a warm, caring mother. She believed in strong families and considered the Fourth of July as a time for families to celebrate the birth of our nation. Her red Cape Cod house on Washington Street was the scene of an annual Fourth of July party on the front lawn, where friends and family gathered to socialize and enjoy the parade.

When Margery Parcher died in 1984, her children Allison, Rich, Chip, and Billy wanted an appropriate memorial for their mother. Because the parade had been such an important part of the family’s life, they asked for contributions to the parade fund in lieu of flowers. Contributions that year came to nearly $5,000, and since then, the town has used this fund as a repository for Fourth of July donations. The town has continued to support the parade with an annual appropriation of $10,000, but costs have continued to escalate, and the Margery Parcher fund has been used to pay for expenses exceeding the town appropriation. For the past several years, the Committee has had to raise approximately $20,000 over and above the town contribution of $10,000 to pay for the parade and beach party.

If you would like to continue the generous spirit of Margery Parcher and her family, you will have an opportunity to make a tax-deductible contribution to the Margery Parcher Fund when you receive the town-wide brochure this spring.