Andrea Stevenson died unexpectedly at her home in Centerville, Mass., on Dec. 6, 2024. She was 44 years old.
Andrea’s story is one of resilience and courage. Born March 11, 1980, in Quincy, Mass., then removed from her biological family at the age of 5, Andrea spent 10 years in foster care before being adopted by her forever family: parents, Ken and Alison Stevenson and siblings, Campbell, Connor, Tucker, and Riley. Developmental disabilities had created obstacles for her first 15 years but once she found the right support systems, Andrea took advantage of those opportunities and she thrived.
After four years at the Learning Prep School in Newton, Mass., Andrea attended the Riverview School in East Sandwich, Mass. Riverview gave her the skills to make independent living possible, and is also where she met the love of her life, Matt Potter, whom she married in 2009 at her family’s home in Waldoboro.
Andrea had a great circle of friends, from those she met on various local sports teams to coworkers in the Barnstable school transportation program to fellow Riverview graduates who stayed in the area. Andrea was fortunate to have the daily support of Colleen Cahill, a former Riverview teacher, who with grace and kindness made sure that Matt and Andrea lived as independently as possible. With Colleen’s spirited encouragement, Andrea completed the Falmouth 10K race, competed in the Special Olympics, and found meaningful work that she loved. Her cats were lavished with love and an endless stream of selfies. A passionate Boston sports fan, Andrea also had a sly sense of humor and was always ready with a hug.
In addition to her parents and siblings, Andrea is survived by her husband, Matt; her grandparents, Eliot and Patti Daley, of Princeton, N.J., and Debbie Stevenson, of Waldoboro; her aunts, Shannon Daley-Harris, of Princeton, N.J., and Julie Krane, of Alexandria, Va.; uncles, Sam Daley-Harris, of Princeton, N.J., and Jad Daley, of Alexandria, Va.; cousins, Micah Daley-Harris, of Scottsdale, Ariz., and Sophie Daley-Harris, of Philadelphia; and parents-in-law, Anne and Calvin Potter, of Hadley, Mass.
A memorial service will be held on Jan. 11, 2025, from 2:30-4 p.m. with a reception from 4-5 p.m., at Thacher Hall, 266 Route 6A in Yarmouth, Mass. In keeping with Andrea’s intrepid spirit, the family suggests donations to the Sunbeam Scholarship Fund of Hearty Roots at heartyroots.org, or the Special Olympics at specialolympicsma.org, in her memory.
