Fall River – Edna V. (Ponte) Tripp, 77, of Westport died Friday, June 17, 2005 at Charlton Memorial Hospital. She was wife of Russell E. Tripp.
She was born in New Bedford, daughter of the late Manuel and Virginia (Vieira) Ponte, and had resided in Westport for most of her life. A 1945 graduate of New Bedford High School, she worked in a law office during her high school years. Upon graduation, she worked with a psychologist in the office of Testing and Orientation at Camp Edwards in Bourne, MA. She also worked as a bookkeeper for Cherry & Co. in downtown New Bedford. Mrs. Tripp was the former Westport Town Clerk and served as a Notary Public and Justice of the Peace, performing many marriages.
She was a communicant of St. John the Baptist Church, Westport, where she was a recipient of the Marion Medal she was also an honorary member of the Women’s Guild. She was a member of the Town Clerk Association of Massachusetts, the Westport Historical Society and the Portuguese-American Civic League. An avid dancer, she and her husband were very active for many years in the Fall River Liners Square Dance and Round Dance Club. She had a vast collection of cows which her family and friends were part of.
Including her husband of 56 years, she is survived by 4 daughters: Amy V. Lawton and her husband Clinton of Westport, Janice E. Stelljes and her husband George of Salina, KS, Laurie J. Benoit and her husband Stephen of Fairhaven and Patricia A. Bernat and Joseph Clayton of Westport; a brother: John V. Ponte of Holyoke, MA; 11 grandchildren: Seth, Chad & Jordanna Lawton, Kristin, Leslie & Megan Stelljes and Ryan, Daniel & Andrew Clayton, Brian & Tara Benoit; and several nieces and nephews.
She was the sister of the late Joseph Ponte, George Ponte, Emily Soares and Susana Noble.
Relatives and friends are invited to attend:
Calling hours on Sunday, June 19, 2005, 5 – 8 P.M.
Funeral from the Potter Funeral Home, 81 Reed Rd., Westport, Monday, June 20, 2005 at 9:00 A.M. followed by a Mass of Christian Burial at St. John the Baptist Church, Westport at 10:00 A.M.
Interment in Beech Grove Cemetery, Westport.
Flowers are acceptable, or memorial donations may be made to: Westport Fire Department Gift Fund, P.O. Box 3470, Westport, MA 02790.