Margery Parcher's Legacy
Margery Parcher loved Duxbury, the beach, and especially the people. She was a painter, an avid tennis player, a caring mother and her yellow 1953 MG TD was a familiar sight around town. She considered the Fourth of July to be a time for families to celebrate the birth of our nation and many socialized on her front lawn enjoying the parade each year. When she died in 1984, her children Allison, Rich, Chip, and Billy wanted an appropriate memorial for their mother. Because the parade had been such an important part of the family’s life, they asked for contributions to the parade fund in lieu of flowers. Contributions that year came to nearly $5,000, and since then, the town has used The Margery Parcher Fund as a repository for Fourth of July donations. Each year, the parade is paid for by donations made to the Margery Parcher Fund and support from the Town of Duxbury. In addition, the Margery Parcher Cup is awarded each year to the parade participant that truly represents the spirit of the 4th of July. The cup's base is engraved with the name of each year's winner and is on display at the Duxbury Free Library.
Previous Winners:
1998: Tinkertown Neighborhood Assn.
1999: Duxbury High School Class of 1949
2000: Tinkertown Neighborhood Assn.
2001: Corner Stone Lodge
2002: Duxbury Fire Dept & Duxbury Police Dept.
2003: American Legion Post 223
2004: Duxbury 4th of July Committee
2005: Col. Ronald J. Johnson U.S. Marines
2006: Duxbury Free Library "The Bookmarks"
2007: In Memory of P.F.C. Matthew Bean
2008: Duxbury Interfaith Council
2009: The Duxbury Clipper
2010: The Mutkoski Family
2011: The Margery Smith Parcher Family
2012: The Duxbury 375th Committee
2013: Bluecoats Drum & Bugle Corp.
2014: Duxbury's Community Spirit
2015: Duxbury Rural Historical Society
2016: Plymouth Welcome Home Vietnam Vets
2017: Duxbury Flag Football
2018: Cub Scouts Pack 1776
2021: Draco
2022: Duxbury Youth Baseball
2023: Parade cancelled due to weather
2024: Soulful Girls Club
Soulful Girls Club received the 2024 Margery Parcher Award. The Soulful Girls Club is a place where teenage girls with different abilities gather monthly to let their souls soar. The girls, their parents and the many volunteers who facilitate these gatherings have created their own community within the greater community where they can shine and be authentically themselves one Friday night each month. Duxbury is a supportive and inclusive community that has allowed the Soulful Girls Club to meet and grow and thrive. Their float was a reflection of the beauty and fun our Soulful Girls Club community has together!