Lillian Preiss 1916 - 2011
Lillian E.
Preiss, 94, died April 2, 2011 at Kimball Farms Nursing Care Center in Lenox. A
longtime resident of Sheffield, she was a founding member of the town's
historical society and served as its first president. Her vigorous advocacy for
preserving the town's past was instrumental in saving several historic
structures, most notably the restoration of Sheffield's old covered bridge. At
the urging of Sheffield officials, Mrs. Preiss began research for a town history
in 1969. That book, Sheffield: Frontier Town was published in 1976 and remains
an engaging and readable account of Sheffield's past. In 1990, the board of
selectmen appointed her official town historian in recognition of her knowledge
of and dedication to Sheffield's history.
Born June 11, 1916 in Providence, Rhode Island, she was one of six children of David and Mildred Pattison Elder. The family moved around Connecticut and Massachusetts, eventually settling in Waltham. She graduated from high school there, excelling both academically and athletically, and went on to attend Radcliffe College, where she played varsity basketball as the only freshman starter. She returned to school after her children were grown, earning a history degree from North Adams State College. She met Kurt G. Preiss in 1935 while working at a summer resort in Maine. The couple were married later that year and lived in Massachusetts, New York, and New Jersey before coming to Sheffield in 1945. Mr. Preiss died in 1979.
Mrs. Preiss was a teacher and guidance counselor at Mount Everett Regional School in Sheffield until her retirement in 1976. She had previously worked as a news correspondent, library assistant, and co-owner of the F2 Restaurant. She was a lifelong linguaphile but had a special affection for German, her husband's native language. She continued to study it throughout her life, often meeting with friends to read and sing popular German stories and songs. She traveled frequently, particularly in Europe, where she made several trips behind the Iron Curtain to visit her husband's family. Over the years, she took many of her grandchildren to Germany to give them an appreciation for their grandfather's country of birth.
Besides her involvement with local and regional historical organizations, she was active in preservation, library, education, art, and community associations. Mrs. Preiss was a member of the First Church of Christ, Scientist in Great Barrington, serving the church in all capacities. She was Reader for many terms and a regular volunteer in the church's reading room. Although history was her foremost passion, Mrs. Preiss was a woman of many interests. She had a large collection of bells from all over the world and delighted in showing them to local groups. She was an avid reader, preferring history and historical fiction, and collected biographies of Benjamin Franklin and U.S. First Ladies. Mrs. Preiss also enjoyed crosswords, knitting, crocheting, Jeopardy and journal keeping. Late in life, she traded her typewriter for a computer and became a prolific email correspondent.
Above all, she took joy in the company of her family. She was a devoted grandmother who was never too busy to answer a question, read a book, play a game, take a walk, or indulge a whim. She leaves two daughters, Margaret Miller of Amesbury and Bobbie Shepard and her husband Gary of Alford; a daughter-in-law, Annette Preiss of Milton, Vt.; eleven grandchildren and their families, Linda Miller of New Milford, Conn., Mark Miller of Tyngsboro, David Miller of Manchester, N.H., Kurt Preiss and Katrina Preiss of Milton, Vt., Erik Preiss of Underhill, Vt., Annika Preiss of Lititz, Penn., Monika Hotaling of Essex Junction, Vt., and Ruth Shepard, David Shepard, and Erin Shepard, all of Alford; ten great-grandchildren, and a large extended family. She was predeceased by a son, Ernst Preiss; a son-in-law, Douglas Miller; and a grandson, Sgt. Scott A. Miller.
FUNERAL NOTICE: A brief service celebrating the life of the late Lillian Preiss will be held Saturday, April 9, 2011 at 11 a.m. at FINNERTY & STEVENS FUNERAL HOME in Great Barrington. The family will receive friends on Saturday, April 9, 2011 from 10 a.m. until the time of the service. In lieu of flowers memorial donations may be made to the Sheffield Historical Society through FINNERTY & STEVENS FUNERAL HOME, 426 Main Street, Great Barrington, MA 01230. Remembrances, memories and reflections may be sent to the family through www.finnertyandstevens.com
Born June 11, 1916 in Providence, Rhode Island, she was one of six children of David and Mildred Pattison Elder. The family moved around Connecticut and Massachusetts, eventually settling in Waltham. She graduated from high school there, excelling both academically and athletically, and went on to attend Radcliffe College, where she played varsity basketball as the only freshman starter. She returned to school after her children were grown, earning a history degree from North Adams State College. She met Kurt G. Preiss in 1935 while working at a summer resort in Maine. The couple were married later that year and lived in Massachusetts, New York, and New Jersey before coming to Sheffield in 1945. Mr. Preiss died in 1979.
Mrs. Preiss was a teacher and guidance counselor at Mount Everett Regional School in Sheffield until her retirement in 1976. She had previously worked as a news correspondent, library assistant, and co-owner of the F2 Restaurant. She was a lifelong linguaphile but had a special affection for German, her husband's native language. She continued to study it throughout her life, often meeting with friends to read and sing popular German stories and songs. She traveled frequently, particularly in Europe, where she made several trips behind the Iron Curtain to visit her husband's family. Over the years, she took many of her grandchildren to Germany to give them an appreciation for their grandfather's country of birth.
Besides her involvement with local and regional historical organizations, she was active in preservation, library, education, art, and community associations. Mrs. Preiss was a member of the First Church of Christ, Scientist in Great Barrington, serving the church in all capacities. She was Reader for many terms and a regular volunteer in the church's reading room. Although history was her foremost passion, Mrs. Preiss was a woman of many interests. She had a large collection of bells from all over the world and delighted in showing them to local groups. She was an avid reader, preferring history and historical fiction, and collected biographies of Benjamin Franklin and U.S. First Ladies. Mrs. Preiss also enjoyed crosswords, knitting, crocheting, Jeopardy and journal keeping. Late in life, she traded her typewriter for a computer and became a prolific email correspondent.
Above all, she took joy in the company of her family. She was a devoted grandmother who was never too busy to answer a question, read a book, play a game, take a walk, or indulge a whim. She leaves two daughters, Margaret Miller of Amesbury and Bobbie Shepard and her husband Gary of Alford; a daughter-in-law, Annette Preiss of Milton, Vt.; eleven grandchildren and their families, Linda Miller of New Milford, Conn., Mark Miller of Tyngsboro, David Miller of Manchester, N.H., Kurt Preiss and Katrina Preiss of Milton, Vt., Erik Preiss of Underhill, Vt., Annika Preiss of Lititz, Penn., Monika Hotaling of Essex Junction, Vt., and Ruth Shepard, David Shepard, and Erin Shepard, all of Alford; ten great-grandchildren, and a large extended family. She was predeceased by a son, Ernst Preiss; a son-in-law, Douglas Miller; and a grandson, Sgt. Scott A. Miller.
FUNERAL NOTICE: A brief service celebrating the life of the late Lillian Preiss will be held Saturday, April 9, 2011 at 11 a.m. at FINNERTY & STEVENS FUNERAL HOME in Great Barrington. The family will receive friends on Saturday, April 9, 2011 from 10 a.m. until the time of the service. In lieu of flowers memorial donations may be made to the Sheffield Historical Society through FINNERTY & STEVENS FUNERAL HOME, 426 Main Street, Great Barrington, MA 01230. Remembrances, memories and reflections may be sent to the family through www.finnertyandstevens.com
Sheffield Historical Society
Dan Raymond House Museum | Mark Dewey Research Center | Old Stone Store
159-161 Main Street, P.O. Box 747, Sheffield, MA 01257
[email protected]
413-229-2694
Dan Raymond House Museum | Mark Dewey Research Center | Old Stone Store
159-161 Main Street, P.O. Box 747, Sheffield, MA 01257
[email protected]
413-229-2694