The Rev. Harold Dennison Avery died peacefully at Iroquois Nursing Home on September 18, 2020 at the age of 92. Son of Harold Terry Avery and Anne Pirong Avery, he was born on May 2, 1928. He was predeceased by his parents; his sister, Dr. Patricia Labach; and the mother of his children, Gertrude Gardner Hughes. He graduated from Nottingham High School, Syracuse University, and Episcopal Divinity School in Cambridge, Massachusetts in 1952. Hal was ordained to the priesthood in 1953. Hal served the Rochester Diocese, primarily at St. John’s, Canandaigua and in the Diocese of Central New York. Hal was the Rector of Trinity Episcopal Church and then served within the Syracuse Urban Cluster. He served on various committees within the diocese-from aging to youth, however, his passion was community involvement. He was never able to just attend a committee meeting, he always seemed to have a leadership responsibility. Hal was a “planner” and thrived on working to create new programs. He was on the dream team for the present Interfaith Works, Samaritan Center, Time of Jubilee, Lincoln Elms while serving on the Care & Share Fund, Metropolitan Commission of Aging, Maria Regina College, Coalition for Health and Welfare for Onondaga County, United Way of CNY, Home Aids of CNY, Visiting Nurses of CNY, Priority One of Greater Syracuse, Chairman of Community Issues, and more. He loved serving as the chairmen of the Legislative Committee of the NYS Council for Home Care services. He so enjoyed attending Thursday Morning Roundtable. He also planned his summer vacations in the winter months with the same diligence that he took on committee work. He felt he did not need to travel too far because everything he needed was in the Adirondacks. Each summer had to end with his camping trip to Fish Creek in the Adirondacks. After serving in the active ministry for 44 years-retiring-was bored after one year-and continued on serving churches as Sunday supply until he was 88 years old. He served All Saints Episcopal Church in Fulton for at least ten of those years. He had a “silly goal” of going wherever God called him to preach and wanting to be at every church in the diocese-some wouldn’t let him go -Grace, Baldwinsville, St Luke’s, Camillus, St John’s, Marcellus, St Albans, Syracuse, Calvary, Syracuse, St. Mark’s, Syracuse, Grace, Syracuse, St Paul’s, Chittenango, Emmanuel, East Syracuse, Trinity, Watertown, Christ Church, Binghamton, All Saints, Johnson City, St John’s, Black River, Grace, Carthage and the list goes on….. He was married to Jeanne Garrison Ives Avery for 35 years. He is survived by his wife; his children, Stephen (Melanie) Avery, Catherine (David) Hallett, Peter Avery and Lucinda Avery; step children, Kathy (Douglas) Chapman, Cyndi Ives and David Crouse and Rodney (Amy) Ives. Hal was always amazed that he had eleven grandsons and two granddaughters, Andrew, Matthew, George, Dennis, Richard, Christopher, Thomas, Kevin, Jacob, Forrest, Tucker, Margaret and Elizabeth and many spouses. But then the great grandchildren reversed and he has four boys with nine girls, Landon, Ivan, Myles and Connor with Aurora, Ariel, Beatrice, Victoria, Adeline, Emma, Ellie, Imogen and Emerson. He is also survived by his brother, Robert (Jean) Avery; and nephews and a niece. The family wishes to express their deep gratitude to the staff of Iroquois Nursing Home for the loving and concerned care he was given especially during this very difficult time of the isolation during the pandemic. In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to, The Episcopal Relief and Development, Box 7058, Merrifield VA 22116, St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, 310 Montgomery Street, Syracuse, NY 13202, All Saints Episcopal Church, PO Box 542, Fulton, NY 13069 or Interfaith Works, 1010 James Street, Syracuse, NY 13203. Due to the required restrictions because of Covid 19, open visitation will be at Fairchild & Meech Dewitt Chapel, 3690 Erie Blvd East, DeWitt on Tuesday, October 6 from 4-7 pm. The Requiem Mass will be limited to 50 people held at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, Syracuse on Wednesday, October 7 at 10 am while following CDC and NYS guidelines. Burial will immediately follow at Greenlawn Cemetery in Warners. The Mass will be livestreamed through St. Paul’s website: stpaulsyr.org and select Avery service.