Margaret Mary Savage, 100
Margaret Mary Savage, painter, age 100, died at her home in Massachusetts on Tuesday, May 20, 2025, after a brief illness. Margaret Mary had lived in Acton for over 50 years and had recently moved to Littleton. An accomplished painter, Margaret Mary was one of the founding artists at the Umbrella Center for the Arts in Acton when it opened in 1983 and where she specialized in oil and watercolor, landscapes, and abstracts. She treasured her time at the Umbrella, where she spent much of her free time when not traveling with her husband and spending time with family and friends.
She taught at the Umbrella and at the deCordova Sculpture Park and Museum in Lincoln. One of Margaret Mary’s paintings is part of the permanent collection at the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston. She also has paintings in the permanent collection at deCordova. She completed her bachelor’s in painting from the Massachusetts College of Art. Her education also included two years at the University of Iowa.
Margaret Mary was born on November 2, 1924, in Omaha, Nebraska, the daughter of Madeline Catherine Harmer and William Albert Palensky. She is the last surviving child of a family with six children.
She met her future husband, Alfred (Fred) Savage, in high school and reconnected later after he returned from WWII. They were married on May 26, 1951, and had four children: Madeline, MaryBeth, Regina, and Michelle.
They spent 20 years as a career military family, with residences around the country including California, Washington, D.C., Massachusetts, and Texas, but most memorable for them was France. They lived in Paris and Laon and together learned the language and became lifelong Francophiles. After Fred retired in 1992, they spent many summers in Paris and Provence. They also travelled extensively throughout other parts of Europe and visited their daughter when she lived in Japan and Hong Kong. Margaret Mary and her daughter also visited China together.
Margaret Mary was a loving mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother. She was an avid reader of literature and poetry, cook, and lifelong Democrat. She loved New England. She was a longstanding member of the Museum of Fine Arts and lifelong supporter of Native Americans.
Margaret Mary is survived by her daughters Madeline, Regina, and Michelle; her son-in-law Jon; her grandchildren Andrew, Dana, and Maddy; and her great-granddaughter Natalie.
Family and friends will gather for visiting hours from 4-6 p.m., Tuesday, May 27, at the Dee Funeral Home, 27 Bedford Street. Her funeral Mass will be celebrated at 10 a.m., Wednesday, May 28, in St. Bernard’s Church at Holy Family Parish, 12 Monument Square. Private burial will follow in St. Bernard’s Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Northern Plains Reservation Aid (NPRA).
Arrangements are entrusted to Dee Funeral Home & Cremation Service of Acton. To share a memory or offer a condolence on her tribute page, visit DeeFuneralHome.com.
