Lee Ballou Cary, 83, passed away peacefully on September 9, 2026, at AccentCare Hospice in Milton, Massachusetts, following a period of declining health.

Born in Medfield, Massachusetts, Lee was the daughter of the late Helen and Leon “Pete” Ballou Jr. She graduated from Medfield High School and Vermont College in Montpelier, Vermont.

Lee shared 59 years of marriage with her husband, George Foster Cary III. Together, they raised their family in Milton, a community Lee loved and served for many years. She was a member of Town Meeting and the Milton Women’s Club, served on the Warrant Committee, and was Treasurer of the Milton Housing Authority. Through her community involvement, she made many lifelong friends whom she loved like family.

After her children gained their independence, Lee managed several furniture stores in Boston and across New England. Gifted with numbers, finance, and writing, she was recommended to join Mensa in her early years.

Lee was a devoted mother to Rebecca Cary Anderson and her husband, Greg, and Jeffrey Austin Cary and his wife, Aimee, and a proud and caring grandmother to Kaylee, Max, George, Seamus and Clara. Some of her happiest times were spent with family and friends in the White Mountains and especially on Pond Island in Downeast Maine, where generations of Cary family memories and traditions were made.

Lee was a gifted knitter, avid reader, crossword enthusiast, and bridge player. She loved welcoming new babies with hand-knit sweaters, adored her miniature dachshunds, and enjoyed ending the day beside George watching Wheel of Fortune and Jeopardy.

Lee is survived by her children and grandchildren; her sister, Leslie Ballou of Cambridge; her in-laws, Charles and Elly Cary of Harpswell, Maine, John Cary and Patricia Glidden of Arlington, and Frances Cary Emmons of Maine; and many extended family members and dear friends. She was predeceased by her parents and her in-laws, Miriam “Toni” and George F. Cary II.

A celebration of Lee’s life will be held at a later date.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Lee’s memory to the American Heart Association, Breast Cancer Research Foundation, or MSPCA-Angell.