Obituary of Elva (Perry) Pillsbury

Elva Pillsbury (nee Perry) passed away on Wednesday, July 20, 2022 at Sherrill House in Boston, MA. She was 105, eight days short of her 106th birthday. Elva was born in Jasper, NY, on July 28, 1916. She grew up in the western New York State farming hamlet of Hedgesville. In 1934, she moved to Trenton, NJ, to live with her sister Doris and attend Rider College. She graduated in 1937 with a bachelor’s degree in secretarial science. Elva met her future husband Martin at a young-adult church social group. They were married in 1942 and later settled in Ewing, NJ, where they raised their family. During the 1970s and 80s, Elva worked as a bookkeeper at Ewing Bank. In 2007, she moved to Boston to live near her children. After a debilitating stroke in 2014, she resided at Sherrill House, a long-term care facility. Elva enjoyed listening to opera and classical music on the radio. She was an avid Mets fan. Elva had a beloved cat Duchess who kept her company in her later years. She loved reading, especially about American History. Reading became her lifeline after she suffered the stroke. She was also sustained by visits from family and friends. Elva was predeceased by her husband of 58 years, Martin Pillsbury, and by her sisters Doris Perry, Velma Monahan and Mary Ellen Carlson. She is survived by her children: Martin (Franca), Helen (Paul Tomkavage), Nancy Stromer (Richard); her grandchildren: Sara and Joseph Stromer and Nicholas Tomkavage; and her great-granddaughter, Elle Benson Stromer. She also leaves behind several nephews and nieces, other extended family and dear friends. A graveside service for Elva will be held on Thursday, July 28, 2022 at 1PM at Ewing Church Cemetery. Attendees are asked to arrive to the cemetery no later than 12:45PM. She will be laid to rest next to her husband Martin. A memorial service was held at Sherrill House. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Ewing Covenant Presbyterian Church, 100 Scotch Road, Ewing, NJ 08628; or to Sherrill House, 135 S. Huntington Avenue, Jamaica Plain, MA 02130.