Obituary for Florence Fosgate (Potter)
PLYMOUTH, MA Florence Southwick (Potter) Fosgate, 88, of Plymouth, passed away at home
on January 8, 2021, of Alzheimer's disease. Florence was known lifelong for her thoughtfulness,
steadiness, intelligence, stoicism, generosity and grace. She made loyal friends wherever she went. She
was well-spoken, and partial to word and quiz games, poetry, history, and murder mysteries. She loved
animals and nature, especially cats and birds. She was delighted by children, whose imagination and
creativity she loved to nurture. She also loved big band and jazz, particularly Frank Sinatra. While soft-
spoken, gentle and unassuming, Florence often surprised people with her perceptiveness, dry sense of
humor, and strength of will and character. Her greatest wish was the happiness of others, and her greatest
regret was progressively losing the ability to help and communicate with others. Nevertheless, she
touched people with her kindness even in her last days.
Florence was born to Edna Frances (Southwick) and Merwin “Duke” Grant Potter in 1932. She grew up
in a farmhouse in Braintree with her beloved, “big” sister, Elinor, parents and grandparents, during the
Great Depression. The girls wore clothes made by their mother, walked everywhere they went, and
enjoyed simple pleasures, such as playing with paper dolls, looking for “fairies” in backyard flowers, and
picking blueberries for pancakes at Charge Pond. She never lost her down-to-earth, sensible nature. She
learned early to always be “useful”, and could make a pie from scratch by age 11.
After the girls lost their mother tragically, Elinor and then Florence commuted to Radcliff by rail, in
gloves and heels, and graduated at 21. Their schooling was paid for by their dear uncle Alfred, who
returned the sacrifice their father had made decades earlier, by staying home to work the farm while
Alfred went to medical school. After a stint at an airline in New York City, Florence met her future
husband, Charles M. Fosgate, Jr. They were devoted for life and parted only by his death just before their
55th anniversary. They raised their children in Sudbury, where Florence worked as a technical librarian,
school librarian, reporter for the Middlesex News, and Assistant Town Clerk. There, Florence delighted
in helping people all over the world with genealogical research, a lifelong passion. The family spent
many weekends boating on Buzzards Bay, and were active members of the Memorial Congregational
Church of Sudbury. In 1985, they moved to Pocasset, joined the North Falmouth Congregational Church,
and started a photography and framing business, “Picture This!”, in Sandwich. A second store, in
Pocasset, followed. Florence and Charlie savored the ebb and flow of the Pocasset River, reading,
swimming, scalloping, and spending time with friends and family. They traveled far and wide on boats of
all sizes. After being widowed, Florence became more active as a church volunteer, then an active and
beloved member of Stafford Hill Assisted Living in Plymouth for five years. She spent the end of her life
lovingly cared for at home, her cat often by her side, admiring the natural world around her.
Florence was predeceased by many loved ones, including grandparents, parents, aunts, uncles, and dear
friends of her mother's. She survived her sister, husband, sisters-&-brothers-in-law, and many dear
friends. She is survived by her daughter, Sandy, of Plymouth, MA; her son, Charlie, daughter-in-law,
Michelle and grandsons, Andrew & Kevin, of Frederick, MD; her brother-in-law, Rev. Dick Fewkes &
partner, Connie Johnson, of Sagamore Beach, MA; her nephews, nieces and their spouses, Charlie &
Karen Buckley of Cape May Courthouse, NJ, Jim & Donna Buckley of Plymouth, MA, Ken & Barbara
Buckley of Needham, MA, Jenn Cabral of Stoneham, MA, Diane & Joe Ducey of Charlotte, NC, Charles
(Randy) Black of Plymouth, MA, Richard (Rick) & Norma Black of Norwood, MA, Wendie Whitehouse
of Newington, CT, and Pat Kehn of Rochester, NY; and many wonderful great and great-great nieces and
nephews. She is also survived by treasured friends, old and new, including her “bread-and-butter” family:
her friend of 71 years, Acey Welch, of Concord, MA, and Acey & Dick's children, Terry & partner Kyle
Conley, of Quincy, MA, Elise of Albuquerque, NM, and David & Michelle of Lake Wylie, SC. Finally,
no story of Florence would be complete without mentioning the many dear pets and “furry grandchildren”
who brought her so much joy.
Due to the coronavirus pandemic, memorial gatherings have been postponed. Memorial donations may
be made to People for Cats, PO Box 422, W. Falmouth, MA 02574, or to any animal shelter or charity.
Obituary lovingly written by the family of Florence Fosgate
on January 8, 2021, of Alzheimer's disease. Florence was known lifelong for her thoughtfulness,
steadiness, intelligence, stoicism, generosity and grace. She made loyal friends wherever she went. She
was well-spoken, and partial to word and quiz games, poetry, history, and murder mysteries. She loved
animals and nature, especially cats and birds. She was delighted by children, whose imagination and
creativity she loved to nurture. She also loved big band and jazz, particularly Frank Sinatra. While soft-
spoken, gentle and unassuming, Florence often surprised people with her perceptiveness, dry sense of
humor, and strength of will and character. Her greatest wish was the happiness of others, and her greatest
regret was progressively losing the ability to help and communicate with others. Nevertheless, she
touched people with her kindness even in her last days.
Florence was born to Edna Frances (Southwick) and Merwin “Duke” Grant Potter in 1932. She grew up
in a farmhouse in Braintree with her beloved, “big” sister, Elinor, parents and grandparents, during the
Great Depression. The girls wore clothes made by their mother, walked everywhere they went, and
enjoyed simple pleasures, such as playing with paper dolls, looking for “fairies” in backyard flowers, and
picking blueberries for pancakes at Charge Pond. She never lost her down-to-earth, sensible nature. She
learned early to always be “useful”, and could make a pie from scratch by age 11.
After the girls lost their mother tragically, Elinor and then Florence commuted to Radcliff by rail, in
gloves and heels, and graduated at 21. Their schooling was paid for by their dear uncle Alfred, who
returned the sacrifice their father had made decades earlier, by staying home to work the farm while
Alfred went to medical school. After a stint at an airline in New York City, Florence met her future
husband, Charles M. Fosgate, Jr. They were devoted for life and parted only by his death just before their
55th anniversary. They raised their children in Sudbury, where Florence worked as a technical librarian,
school librarian, reporter for the Middlesex News, and Assistant Town Clerk. There, Florence delighted
in helping people all over the world with genealogical research, a lifelong passion. The family spent
many weekends boating on Buzzards Bay, and were active members of the Memorial Congregational
Church of Sudbury. In 1985, they moved to Pocasset, joined the North Falmouth Congregational Church,
and started a photography and framing business, “Picture This!”, in Sandwich. A second store, in
Pocasset, followed. Florence and Charlie savored the ebb and flow of the Pocasset River, reading,
swimming, scalloping, and spending time with friends and family. They traveled far and wide on boats of
all sizes. After being widowed, Florence became more active as a church volunteer, then an active and
beloved member of Stafford Hill Assisted Living in Plymouth for five years. She spent the end of her life
lovingly cared for at home, her cat often by her side, admiring the natural world around her.
Florence was predeceased by many loved ones, including grandparents, parents, aunts, uncles, and dear
friends of her mother's. She survived her sister, husband, sisters-&-brothers-in-law, and many dear
friends. She is survived by her daughter, Sandy, of Plymouth, MA; her son, Charlie, daughter-in-law,
Michelle and grandsons, Andrew & Kevin, of Frederick, MD; her brother-in-law, Rev. Dick Fewkes &
partner, Connie Johnson, of Sagamore Beach, MA; her nephews, nieces and their spouses, Charlie &
Karen Buckley of Cape May Courthouse, NJ, Jim & Donna Buckley of Plymouth, MA, Ken & Barbara
Buckley of Needham, MA, Jenn Cabral of Stoneham, MA, Diane & Joe Ducey of Charlotte, NC, Charles
(Randy) Black of Plymouth, MA, Richard (Rick) & Norma Black of Norwood, MA, Wendie Whitehouse
of Newington, CT, and Pat Kehn of Rochester, NY; and many wonderful great and great-great nieces and
nephews. She is also survived by treasured friends, old and new, including her “bread-and-butter” family:
her friend of 71 years, Acey Welch, of Concord, MA, and Acey & Dick's children, Terry & partner Kyle
Conley, of Quincy, MA, Elise of Albuquerque, NM, and David & Michelle of Lake Wylie, SC. Finally,
no story of Florence would be complete without mentioning the many dear pets and “furry grandchildren”
who brought her so much joy.
Due to the coronavirus pandemic, memorial gatherings have been postponed. Memorial donations may
be made to People for Cats, PO Box 422, W. Falmouth, MA 02574, or to any animal shelter or charity.
Obituary lovingly written by the family of Florence Fosgate