Erica Lesley (Witherell) Bray died, after a long illness, in Boston, MA, Thursday, September 28th, 2017 during a beautiful sunset, surrounded by loved ones, at the age of 43.
She was born September 17th, 1974 on Nantucket, MA, the daughter of Mia Hull and David Witherell. She grew up in Attleboro Falls, MA and Keene, NH. Erica was a 1992 graduate of Keene High School.
In 1993, Erica moved to Boston where she attended Simmons College to study graphic design. She worked as a well-loved waitress and bartender for many years at The Marshall House Restaurant. She later earned a real estate broker license. Her interest in baking led her to her most recent work at a local bread company.
Erica was an artist. She created empathetic stylized and gestural drawings. Her subjects consisted of portraits and landscapes. She was proficient with ink, watercolor, and oils.
Erica loved to help people. Her genuine interest in, and care for others was the defining characteristic of her relationships with friends, patrons, and fellow colleagues. Her smile, her warmth, and her genuine sweetness opened the hearts of all those that she met.
Erica will be greatly missed by her husband, Jason Bray, of East Boston, MA; her mother, Mia Hull and stepfather, Paul Campus, of Putney, VT; her father, David Witherell and stepmother Mary Cheryl Cedrone, of Carver, MA; her sisters, Ingrid Witherell, of Chapel Hill, NC, and Jennifer Witherell and her partner, Pavel Pepeliaev, of Brooklyn, NY; her stepsister, Nina Campus, of Tyringham, MA; her stepbrother, Anthony Ruggiero, of Mansfield, MA; her paternal aunts and uncles, Leslie and Doug Vassall, of Keene, NH, Beth and Warren Witherell, of Keene, NH, Enza and Edward Witherell, of Mt. Kisco, NY, and Michael and Linda Cedrone of Carver, MA; her paternal cousins, Blake and Marissa Witherell, of Fort Polk, LA, Everett and Kristin Witherell, of Ossining, NY, Elenia Witherell, of New York, NY, Daniel and Laura Cedrone of Newmarket, NH, and Lynn Cedrone of Carver, MA; her godmother, Thea Kaizer and her husband Peter; her maternal uncles and aunts, Peter and Jeanette Hull, Bobby and Karen Hull, Alvin Hull, and George and Diana Hull, all of Nantucket, MA; her aunt, Patricia Hull; her maternal cousins, Jason Hull, Gretchen (Hull) Buchmann, Alexis Hull, Aaron Hull, Kristen (Hull) Johnson, Kelly (Hull) Wagner, Alicia (Hull) Graziadei, Jessica Mia Hull, Olivia Hull, and Leah Hull, all of Nantucket, MA; her nieces, Nola and Greta Witherell of Brooklyn, NY; her mother-in-law and father-in-law, Karen and Everett “Buzz” Bray of Pelham, MA; many other nieces and nephews, of Nantucket, MA; and the countless friends and soulmates she left behind. She was predeceased by her cousin, Derek Witherell of Antrim, NH.
Services will be held on October 29th, 2017, at noon, at the John F. Kennedy Library in Boston, MA.
Donations in Erica’s memory can be made to one of these non-profit organizations: Phoenix House 106 Roxbury Street, Keene, NH 03431; Derek Witherell Scholarship, New Hampshire Charitable Foundation, 37 Pleasant Street, Concord, NH 03301-4005; Step Into Art, Inc, PO Box 590675, Newton, MA 02459 or Massachusetts General Hospital, 55 Fruit Street, Boston, MA 02114.