Leyden, MA – Peter Burrell Ranney died at home in his sleep January 25 after a brief illness. A Leyden resident since 1990, Peter loved living in the woods. When we think of Peter, we think of the tide pools at Brant Rock, the Okefenokee Swamp, and his love of music, particularly the Grateful Dead. Peter was very sentimental about the people and places he loved, and he filled his house with mementos that he always kept close.
As a child Peter developed a deep connection to nature, studying the animal and plant life around his home in Hanover and, later, Marion, MA. He looked forward to visits to The Boston Museum of Science, and as a college student at Northeastern got a co-op job in the Museum’s Education Department. While still in school, Peter was offered the position of co-curator of the Museum’s Live Animal Center, his dream job, met his lifelong friend and colleague, Ann Powers, and then met an education intern, Carolyn Asbury, who became his lifelong partner of 51 years.
Peter moved with his family to Leyden to raise their son out of the city and to be close to their friends Rob and Karen Loomis. Peter later worked with them at The Cosmic Wimpout Clubhouse before taking a job at Northfield Mountain and the Turners Falls Fishway. When the 9/11 attacks curtailed work at Northfield, Peter used his teaching skills at the Girls Club of Greenfield and Camp Lion Knoll as Nature Counselor, where his love of reptiles, amphibians, and fish inspired the children to share his love of nature. His hero was Mr. Rogers.
Peter’s gentle nature and knowledge of the natural world will be dearly missed by his wife, Carolyn Asbury; son, Foster Asbury Ranney; sister Susan (Don Love); brothers Christopher (Diane Ranney), David (Janel Ranney), and Robert (Timothy Ranney-Blake); and many cousins, in-laws and out-laws, nieces and nephews.
W.A.L.S.T.I.B.
Please join us in celebrating Peter’s life at 1PM on April 4th at the Bent Birch Center, 63 North County Road, Leyden, MA. In lieu of flowers, Peter requested donations go to The Academy at Charlemont (charlemont.org).
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