Pamela Dennison Petri-Humphrey

Pamela Dennison Petri Humphrey, a visionary civic leader and devoted wife, mother, grandmother, and friend, passed away peacefully, surrounded by family, on June 22, 2025, at her home in South Dartmouth, Massachusetts, with bird song and ocean breezes drifting through her windows.

Pamela was born on July 31, 1945, to businessman Henry Law Petri and Alaska-born artist Avalo Brown Petri. She and her sister, Stephanie, were raised in Grosse Pointe, Michigan, where she developed a love for swimming, horseback riding, ski trips, a good book, and a great party. Her educational journey was lifelong: she attended Bradford College, the Carroll School Garside Institute, and earned her BA from Simmons College School of Management in her 70s, a testament to her determination and relentless pursuit of knowledge. She was also a certified Orton-Gillingham tutor, using scientific insights to bring the joy of reading to a broad range of students, including second language and neurodivergent learners.

Pamela's early career brimmed with purpose and fearlessness. She started working on President Spiro Agnew's campaign in the late 1960s, and then for Pan Am Airlines beginning in 1971, where she served as a trailblazing flight supervisor and lead crew member on the first 747 nonstop flight from New York to Tokyo in 1976.

She never missed an opportunity to explore: from frequent sailing trips to the Caribbean and Europe to more far reaching locales like Africa, Asia, and scaling Machu Picchu. She always had a sharp eye for a good investment, and was the spark behind many of her family's business and real estate successes, including restoring the historic 131 Commonwealth Avenue, known affectionately as "One-thirty-one-derful," which she and her husband John transformed into their family home and a hub of activity for over 40 years, holding countless business meetings, nonprofit fundraisers, milestone celebrations, and philosophical conversations over long candlelit dinners. Her parties and events, hosted with exuberance, warmth, and generosity, were heralded as spectacularly decorated gatherings for family, friends, and civic and cultural leaders from around the globe.

Pamela's daughters remember her as a mother who was tenacious, sophisticated, daring, and who fostered in them a love of learning, travel, and good grammar! She was a champion for children's moral and intellectual education and a mentor to many, urging all who came to her for advice to boldly pursue their goals, often saying, "The answer is always no if you don't ask."

Pamela was known around Boston as the "Silver Fox" for her iconic white hair, and described by friends and colleagues as unstoppable, especially when it came to a good cause. She went to the mat for the things she believed in: people, politics, good manners, and keeping salad dressing long past its expiration date. Pamela was both a founding and honorary member of the New England Aquarium, pivotal in developing its board and mission. Her love for the arts was notorious; she was a well-known "balletomane," serving as a Trustee of the Boston Ballet for decades, helping shape it into one of the country's premier cultural institutions. Pamela is one of very few to have served on all three Boston Ballet boards: Trustees, Advisors, and Emeriti. When her daughters began dating new potential suitors, Pamela would say, "Don't bring him home if he doesn't like the ballet." She also served on the boards of the Max Warburg Courage Curriculum, the Boston Youth Symphony Orchestras, and the Dean's Council at the Harvard Graduate School of Education. Pamela greatly enjoyed meeting friends at the Chilton Club, and was a tireless supporter of Trinity Church, Red Cloud Indian School, and countless other organizations. Pamela had a singular ability to engage others, indefatigable in her advocacy, she inspired friends and colleagues to join her in making Boston a better, more vibrant city. Pamela's legacy is one of courage, character, and boundless love. She leaves behind her cherished family, a grateful community, a city forever changed by her vision and devotion, and, inevitably, a few in-process home renovation projects.

As we take a moment now and in the days and years ahead to remember her: wind in her hair, book in hand, gazing out at the world beckoning just beyond the sparkling horizon, may we all be inspired to live with her unstoppable energy, authentic spirit, and fierce love. In the words of one of her favorite authors Marianne Robinson, "We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we give other people permission to do the same." Shine she did, as did all those around her, upheld by her love and unshakeable faith in our best selves and a better world.

Pamela is survived by her daughters, Victoria Humphrey, Joanna Humphrey Flynn (Bryan), Caroline Humphrey Clifford (Christian); grandchildren, Grayson and Henry Flynn and Charlotte and Camille Clifford; and many nieces and nephews. She was predeceased by her husband, John William Humphrey; and sister, Stephanie Petri Lord. Funeral Services for Mrs. Humphrey will be private. A Celebration of Life service will be held on Saturday, September13, 2025, at 10am, at the Trinity Church in the City of Boston, 206 Clarendon St., Boston, MA 02116. The Service will be available to live stream, at trinitychurchboston.org/live-worship

In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the Boston Ballet, Development Department, 19 Clarendon Street, Boston, MA 02116, bostonballet.org or Boston Youth Symphony Orchestras, 855 Commonwealth Avenue, Boston, MA 02215, bysoweb.org or the Red Cloud Indian School, 100 Mission Drive, Pine Ridge, South Dakota 57770, mahpiyaluta.org