Avery, Victoria J. 79, of Wellesley, MA and Newport, RI, passed away on May 28 at BrightView North Andover, with family at her side. She was born on April 11, 1939, in New York City. Victoria graduated from Westover School in 1956 and earned a B.S. in Education from Northwestern University in 1960. She married the late Cmdr. David Avery in 1968 and lived in Halifax, Nova Scotia and Toronto, Ontario before relocating with her children to Wellesley in 1979.
Victoria was a tremendous sportswoman, winning Athlete of the Year at Bennett Junior College and the doubles tennis title at Northwestern University. Recipient of a collegiate Child Study Award, she taught first grade in the San Diego Public School System. After attending Collegium Palatinum, an intensive language school in Heidelberg, Victoria taught German at Vernon Court Junior College in Newport and worked as a German interpreter in the Boston Municipal Courts. She earned her pilot’s license at the age of 21 and enjoyed flying Cessnas in her free time. Victoria loved to laugh, sing, and attend Red Sox games. She was a world traveler and talented pianist, ukulele player, dancer, photographer, hostess, and chef. Her generosity was boundless; she volunteered time and resources to many organizations, including the International Tennis Hall of Fame and MSPCC.
Victoria was an active member of Spouting Rock Beach Association; the Clambake Club of Newport; Ida Lewis Yacht Club; The Preservation Society of Newport County; the Wellesley Country Club; the Newcomers and Postcomers Clubs of Wellesley; St. Andrew’s Church in Wellesley; St. Columba's Chapel in Middletown, RI; and Trinity Church in Boston. She was also very involved in the Wellesley School System as a parent and volunteer.
Victoria is pre-deceased by her parents, Marjorie McVickar and F. Bartholomay Jelke, and brother, Frazier Jelke. She is survived by her sister, Joanne Jelke of Brenham, TX, and four loving children: Jillian Maver (Naveed) Ihsanullah of North Andover; Alexandra (Luc) Demers of Falmouth, ME; Christopher Avery of Boston; and Elizabeth Avery (Walker Christie) of Boston. In addition, she is survived by multiple nieces and nephews, and six grandchildren: Hannah, Zoe, and Andrew Maver; Aaron and Kaylee Demers; and Jake Ihsanullah.
Visiting hours will be held at George F. Doherty & Sons Funeral Home, 477 Washington St. Rt.16, Wellesley, MA on Friday, June 1, 5:00-8:00 p.m. A celebration of Victoria’s life will be held at Trinity Church, 206 Clarendon St., Boston, MA on Saturday, June 2 at 1:00 p.m. with The Rev. Rainey G. Dankel officiating. A private interment at St. Columba’s in Middletown, RI will take place on Sunday, June 3.
Memorial donations may be made to the International Tennis Hall of Fame, 194 Bellevue Ave., Newport, RI 02840 or the Fischer Center for Alzheimer’s Research Foundation, 110 East 42nd St., 16th Fl., New York, NY 10017.