Madeleine Elizabeth Bacheller

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Madeleine Elizabeth Bacheller died on Tuesday, January 25, 2011 at the Henrietta Breuer House in Vineyard Haven.

She was the only child of Amy Dean and Harold Martin Deed who arrived in Boston from England at the turn of the century. Madeleine was born on September 12, 1916 in Boston where she spent her early childhood before moving to Danvers.

Following graduation from Danvers High School in 1934, she studied drafting and design at the Claire Orne Graves School in Boston. Shortly thereafter she boarded an ocean liner to visit her family in London and upon her return was employed in the tailoring department at Filene’s, Boston.

Madeleine’s talent, interest, and excellent training in the field of sewing and tailoring became her lifelong career. For decades Madeleine taught adult education in Rowley, North Andover, Georgetown, Peabody, and the Essex Aggie and also became Night School Supervisor in Lynn. Up to her 90th birthday, she was still sewing for several loyal clients.

During the 1950s and 60s, Madeleine served as treasurer for the Danvers Women’s Association and the Danvers Mothers’ Club. She also was a member of the Senior Center until her move to Salem in 2007.

Madeleine loved life and all the games it had to offer. She was an active golfer and joined women’s leagues in Topsfield and Middleton. She bowled at least once a week, proudly winning the Thanksgiving Turkey year after year. Bridge was her passion, and if her schedule permitted Bingo was fine too. She was an avid swimmer and enjoyed skiing as well.

Together with her husband, George, Madeleine traveled throughout the U.S.A. and the world, vacationing in England especially around the Queen’s Birthday. They accompanied their son and family to visit Indonesia, Singapore, and Holland. For their 50th wedding anniversary they traveled to Australia, New Zealand, and various South Pacific islands.

Since 1968, Martha’s Vineyard was their place for family celebrations, attending football games, school concerts, plays, and every other activity involving their grandchildren.

Madeleine was predeceased in August of 2000, by her husband of 61 years, George W. Bacheller. She leaves behind their only child, John D. Bacheller and his wife, Wiet, of Vineyard Haven and their twins, Natasha Bacheller and her husband, Bart Vervloet, of Hood River, Ore., and Andrew Bacheller and his wife, Jennifer, and their sons, Nate and Noah, of Bloomfield Hills, Mich. Madeleine leaves a brother-in-law, Kenneth Bacheller, and his daughters, Kay and Suzanne, of Boynton Beach, Fla. She also leaves a cousin, Natalie Bacheller of Beverly and her children Cheri Bacheller of North Andover, Glenn Bacheller of Santa Barbara, Calif., and Wendy Bacheller of Newton, N.H., and their families.

Among her many friends at the North Shore, she will be especially missed by her classmate Blanche Smiley of Danvers. Together they organized countless class reunions and last fall still managed to celebrate their 76th reunion together.

On January 29, Madeleine was buried next to her husband at the Oak Grove Cemetery in Vineyard Haven.