Madeline Page

Madeline Page led a long and rich life of 96 years. Devoted to her husband, family and community, she put the needs of others first. She will be remembered affectionately for her personal strength, principled life, and commitment to learning and education.

Born in Derby, Vermont, Madeline was the first child of John and Mary Smith Ainsboro. She and her sister Isabel grew up enjoying her parents’ large families, maintaining lifelong ties to her favorite cousins. She studied violin and piano which nurtured a love of music throughout her life. She graduated from the University of Vermont in l935 and became a high school home economics teacher at Brookline High School. A favorite family story recounts her meeting a handsome Dartmouth man on a train to New York. She married Robert Wellington Page in 1940 and a year later moved to Needham, where she lived for the next 70 years. After caring for her young family, she returned to teaching at the Charles River School from 1960-1977.

A member of the Congregational Church of Needham since 1941, Madeline served as both leader and worker, from deaconess, organist, choir member, to the House Committee, where she was known to keep the Church oven cleaner than her own! The Church was her inspiration and community of treasured lifelong friends. She also volunteered for the Red Cross and assisted her husband on many projects for the Needham Exchange Club.

Family was everything to Madeline, beginning with her husband Robert to whom she was married for 52 years. She was enormously proud of her daughter Bonnie (Mrs. Robert) of Littleton, Co; son Robert W. Page Jr. and wife Grace of San Francisco; grandchildren Julie Roehner (Mrs. Philip) of Saline, MI; Gregory Downing of Englewood, Co; and Nathaniel Thompson Page of San Francisco; and her great granddaughter Makenzie Page Roehner. She is also survived by her loyal brother in law Donald B. Page of Needham.

Private family services will be held at the Needham Congregational Church. Memorial contributions may be sent to the Daily Memorial Library, Derby, Vermont 05829.

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Madeline Page, please visit our floral store.