Mary Alice D'Ambrosio

Rindge, NH
Mary Alice Wells D'Ambrosio, 73, passed away on the early morning of Saturday, November 14, at her home and surrounded by her family. She was supported during this difficult time by not only those immediately present, but also by the fine services of Home Healthcare, Hospice Community Services, for which compassionate and professional work we who loved her are very grateful.
Mary Alice Wells was born on July 2, 1936 in Orange, New Jersey, the child of Edward Henry Wells and Alice Scanlon Wells. Raised in a deeply religious environment, she attended the local Presbyterian Church, and in later years met her husband-to-be in another such church in New York City. She attended and graduated from Duke University and was always proud of her Alma Mater.
On September 1, 1962, while living in New York City, she married Anthony D'Ambrosio, and then went to live with him in Bloomfield, New Jersey where he was attending Bloomfield College, and it was her income that supported them during Tony's final year in attendance there.
For two years after Tony's graduation, they lived in New York City, in the borough of Queens, where Tony's work took him and where they attended the Forest Hills Presbyterian Church. With a change in her husband's career, they relocated to Leonia, New Jersey, just outside of New York City, where they lived for 34 years. During this time, Mary Alice raised two lovely children to adulthood. After the boys were relatively independent of her, she sought part-time employment to provide new challenges in her life and held several very responsible jobs over the course of many years.
Unfortunately, Mary Alice was burdened for the last 37 years of her life by cancer and its effects, even including near-devastating side effects of the medical treatments which, while they saved and extended her life, also did great damage to her body. Those who knew her closely were aware that her physical weakness, her lack of balance, and her very uncomfortable posture were all simply side effects of the steps she had taken over a period of many years in her determination to stay alive and with her family.
In the years before her many health issues surfaced, Mary Alice loved the outdoors, hiking and camping, and often studying the little creatures of the woods on her hands and knees. She was always adventuresome and full of enthusiasms. Other pleasures were country music and ballet. She regularly attended performances of the NYC Ballet in Lincoln Center and, after retiring with her husband to Rindge, NH some eight years ago, also of the Boston Ballet.
The final assault of disease came upon Mary Alice as a complete surprise. We are only thankful that the course was short, and that between the first awareness and her death less than a week elapsed.
Mary Alice was a living demonstration in courage. She never let the constant and constantly increasing burden of her body deter her from living and sharing with her husband and family a full and meaningful life. We are grateful for having had her in our lives. It will take time, but we will become accustomed to her absence. Nonetheless, we will love her with all our hearts for all our days.
She is survived by her devoted husband of 47 years, Anthony D'Ambrosio of Rindge, NH; her sons, Ross DAmbrosio of Rindge, NH and Kenneth D'Ambrosio and wife Terri Behm of Merrimack, NH; granddaughters Brittainy Behm and Isabella Francesca DAmbrosio of Merrimack, NH; her brother, Edward Graham Wells and wife Barbara of Chagrin Falls, OH; and several nieces, nephews, cousins and close friends.

Memorial donations in Mary Alices honor may be made to cancer research or hospice.

A memorial service for friends and family will be held at 4 p.m. on Saturday, November 21 at First Congregational Church and Society, 7 Payson Hill Rd., Rindge, NH. Reverend Roger Daly will officiate.