Evelyn Demsey Curtis Roderick

Evelyn (Hilyard) (Demsey) (Curtis) Roderick, 99, died Monday, November 10, 2021 following a brief illness. She was the wife of the late Perley F. Roderick, Jr., the late Harold J. Curtis, and the late E. Melvin “Mel” Demsey. Born in Beverly on July 24, 1922, she was the daughter of the late Oscar and Nellie (Hudon) Hilyard. She was a graduate of Beverly High School and was a Danvers resident for more than seventy years. Evelyn was employed as a telephone operator at New England Telephone, at Hotwatt, and at Putnam Panty Candies. She was accomplished with handicrafts, especially quilting. She quilted the square of the bicentennial quilt which displays the old First Church of Danvers, of which she was a longtime member. Evelyn was a devoted wife, mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother. She leaves two sons and their wives, Ernest and Maureen Demsey of Topsfield and Gene and Gail Demsey of Danvers, six grandchildren, Ryan Demsey and his wife Jill, Meaghan Howlett and her husband Brian, Caitlin Addonizio and her husband Paul, Christopher Demsey, Patrick Demsey and his wife Kristen, and Michael Demsey and his wife Lindsay, fourteen great-grandchildren, Savanna, Ethan, Tristyn, Skylar, Finnegan, Gabriel, Oliver, Danica, Adriana, Isabelle, Liam, Aidan, Emma, and Ryan, and several nieces and nephews. Evelyn was predeceased by her siblings, Reed Hilyard, Norma Perris, Donald Hilyard, and Nancy McCowan. The family is grateful to Kathy, Susan, and Pauline for the loving care they showed Evelyn during her illness. Her Funeral service will be Monday, November 15 at 5PM in C.R. Lyons & Sons Funeral Directors, 28 Elm St., Danvers. Relatives and friends are invited. Visiting hours will be prior to the service from 3-5PM. In lieu of flowers, donations in Evelyn’s memory may be made to the Danvers People-to-People Food Pantry, PO Box 2076, Danvers, MA 01923. For directions or to share an expression of sympathy with Evelyn’s family, please visit www.LyonsFuneral.com.