Obituary
Mary Dana Avison of Deland, FL (formerly from Bondville, VT) passed away on November 9, 2024, at the age of 92. Dana was born in Chicago on August 20, 1932, to the late Eliot Sr. and Lucy Stone Goss.
Dana attended Smith College before traveling around the world on a freighter. She lived in Australia for 14 years returning to Vermont with her children, Stephen and Lucinda. She then attended Castleton State College earning her Bachelor’s degree in Education. Dana was an adventurer and loved learning new skills. She was an avid outdoorswoman who enjoyed nature, hiking with her dogs and fly fishing. Dana loved animals and was an accomplished dog trainer, AKC judge and she was proud of her work with Paws for Cause. Over the years, Dana has been a pilot, realtor, a ski instructor and she and her husband, Bill, ran a successful business called “Down Under” in Bondville, making window treatments and down comforters. She also loved listening to classical music and played multiple instruments. For the past 25 years, she was an accomplished silversmith selling her jewelry at the local farmer’s markets for a number of years.
In 1972, Dana married Bill Avison. They loved to travel around the US and Canada in their RV with their dogs. After Bill’s death, Dana was a snowbird until moving to Deland in 2011.
Dana is survived by her son, Stephen, daughter-in-law, Debbie, her siblings, Eliot Goss, Malcolm Starr, Cynthia Starr, Gregory Field, and Alex Shattuck, her grandchildren, Megan Long, Kristin Avison and Sara Avison and 2 great grandchildren plus many nieces and nephews and her beloved dog, Peta.
She was predeceased by her husband, Bill, and daughter, Lucinda Giles.
The Memorial Service will be held on Saturday, November 23, 2024, at 1 pm, at the Second Congregational Church in Londonderry, Vermont.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in her memory to Second Congregational Church, 2051 North Main Street, Londonderry, VT., 05148 or to the St. Barnabas Episcopal Church, 319 W. Wisconsin Avenue, Deland, FL., 32720.