Alison (“Ally”) Rood Birmingham, 85, passed away peacefully on November 9, 2016, in Canton, MA. She was born December 20, 1930 in Mt. Kisco, NY and was raised in Briarcliff Manor, NY. Her beloved husband of 59 years, Tom Birmingham, predeceased her.
Ally met Tom while she was attending Vassar and he was attending Princeton, and their devotion and commitment was the foundation on which they built their lives. She spent her early marriage years in Norwalk and Weston, CT raising her children and supporting their many activities, including attending endless swim meets. With three daughters, she was active in Girl Scouts, serving as a troop leader for a number of years. In between carpools she completed her undergraduate teaching degree and as her children became more independent she began teaching at Tracey Elementary School in Norwalk, CT, where she remained for over 15 years. While teaching, Ally obtained a Master’s in Educational Media from Fairfield University. Ally’s creativity and sense of community commitment infused her teaching and her grass roots effort (using significant student involvement) to create what is now an established walking and biking path along the Norwalk River in Norwalk, CT. This project was an expression of many of her core principles – preservation and celebration of nature, education through experiential learning and community.
After she and Tom moved to St. Petersburg, FL, Ally again returned to school, this time to obtain a Master’s in Library Science from the University of South Florida. She worked as a librarian for the Juvenile Welfare Board, in Pinellas County, FL, from 1987 to 1997. They thoroughly enjoyed their years in Florida where they formed a strong community of friends and Ally participated as a member of the board of their condominium homeowners association and sang in the choir of Pass-A-Grille Beach Community Church.
Ally was a life long learner, always curious about the world and others. In collaboration with her sister, Carolyn, she compiled an extraordinary family history, using original source material. Her creativity found expression in writing poetry and her watercolor pieces. With her sister, Margaret, she was a self-taught artist and her pieces are family treasures. Friends and family looked forward every year to receiving unique cards with the annual Christmas poem. Her younger brother, Christopher, always had a special place in heart.
Ally’s heart was full of gratitude and a strong faith in God and in Jesus, and the churches she attended were an important part of her life. She was an unassuming leader who did what was necessary for the betterment of the community, and always with a smile. Ally is survived by four children and seven grandchildren, all of whom honor her positive and loving spirit. She leaves three daughters, Abbie Birmingham and her husband, Geoff Spelman, of Seattle, WA; Lucy Birmingham of Tokyo, Japan; and Carolyn Dodd and her husband, Rick, of Bethesda, MD; and one son, Tom Birmingham and his wife, Amy Killeen, of Canton, MA; seven grandchildren, Leah and Elliott Spelman, Seiya, Nina and Sachi Fujii and Sam and Ethan Dodd; her brother, Christopher Rood, of Cincinnati, OH; and several nieces and nephews. Besides her husband, she was preceded in death by her two sisters, Carolyn Sweetland and Margaret Richardson.
In the spring of 2017, there will be a private burial service at the Bourne National Cemetery and a Celebration of Life gathering will be held for family and friends. In lieu of flowers, donations can be sent to the Museum of American Bird Art at Mass Audubon , or the Alzheimer’s Association, Massachusetts Chapter, Alzheimer’s Association Massachusetts select “Donate Now.” The family wishes to thank all the caregivers in Mom's life whom she loved and considered friends.