Dedicated to helping others, skilled artisan, active in Harvard community
Connie Henry. (Courtesy photo)
Constance Foster Henry, of Harpswell, Maine, died peacefully on March 24, 2025, with the love and presence of family at Gosnell Memorial Hospice House in Scarborough, Maine, after a fall in her home. She was known by many to be a “force of nature.” Family and friends described her as energetic, clever, capable, and committed to serving her community.
Born August 7, 1926, in Worcester, Connie was the daughter of Howard and Mary Foster of Westborough. She attended Westborough Public Schools and Bancroft School in Worcester, graduated from Dana Hall School in Wellesley, and earned her college degree from Colby-Sawyer College.
After working briefly in Westborough, she married the love of her life, Westborough classmate Malcolm “Mac” Henry. Together, they raised their three children—Stephen, Mark, and Susan—in Harvard. On a 13-acre farm with its big, red barn, they raised chickens, cows, pigs, turkeys, and sheep, and harvested vegetables, fruits, and berries, enough to fill three freezers along with shelves full of canned goods. Connie was well-known for her jams, jellies, preserves, and pies; artisan weavings; and knitted socks, mittens, and sweaters. The family joked that if there were ever a natural disaster, they’d know where to go.
Connie and Mac were deeply engaged in civic contributions to the town, along with a cadre of beloved friends. While Mac served as a selectman for 21 years, Connie served as registrar of voters, chaired the Republican Town Committee, established the American Friends Service (AFS) in town, and co-founded Harvard Help, supporting elderly residents. They were active members of the Congregational Church, contributing sought-after, hand-crafted items to the annual fair. On their “bicycle built for two,” they pedaled hundreds of miles along back roads of New England. Connie enjoyed long walks and cross-country skiing, was an avid reader and a cribbage champ—still beating her children when she was 98 and almost blind.
In retirement, they moved to Harpswell, Maine, where they explored coastal inlets in their lobster boat and volunteered at the Maine Maritime Museum. Connie served as secretary of the Friends of Peary’s Eagle Island, a National Historic Landmark. They were active in Harpswell’s Elijah Kellogg Church, where Connie served on the Finance Committee, chaired the women’s fellowship, and was elected a deacon. She also organized Red Cross blood drives for years. Mac and Connie enjoyed traveling across the United States and to China, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, Europe, the British Isles, Canada, and Kenya.
Connie was predeceased by her husband, Malcolm, and siblings, Michael Foster and Jane Foster Larsen. Her two surviving siblings are Anne Foster Humes, of Pennsylvania, and Peter Foster, of Virginia. She is survived by her children: Stephen Henry (Lynn Henry), Mark Henry (partner Diane Jousset), and Susan Henry (Robert Blair); five grandchildren; and seven great-grandchildren.
A family graveside service will be held in Westborough. A celebration of Connie and Mac’s lives will take place in Harvard this spring.
In lieu of flowers, the family encourages acts of service or donations in Connie’s memory. Connie believed in the value of education and travel and a woman’s right to make decisions about her body without political interference. She believed in living life to the fullest with productivity, purpose, love, and humor. In her own words, “If you are feeling sad, go out and help someone else.” Her love shines on in acts of service to others.