1926
Mary
2014
Mary Mead
May 9, 1926 — January 11, 2014
Mary-Elizabeth Hellyer Smith Mead fondly called "MaryMead" by friends and family passed away on January 11th, 2014. Mary was born to Dr. Edwin G. Smith and Marguerite Chalfant Tucker Smith on May 9, 1926 in the Bronx, New York City. She lived in Atlantic City, NJ from the age of nine till age 18. She married Carlton G. Mead and moved to Corvalis, OR to await the birth of her first child. Carl's studies took them to Chicago, IL and eventually to California where they lived till the mid-1960's. At that time the family moved to King of Prussia, PA. Mary continued to live in the Philadelphia area for the remainder of her life.
After Mary's marriage ended she spent eleven months touring much of Europe in her VW Bug. Her two daughters were in Europe at the same time and all three women would meet up occasionally. She loved telling about her adventures and misadventures.
Mary had two passions in life
-
baseball and painting. She passed her love of baseball on to her children. Throughout her life she painted and drew whenever time permitted. Once her children were grown she threw herself into her work. She loved selling a piece almost as much as she loved creating it.
Mary was active in her churches, Central Baptist in Wayne, PA, and later at Main Line Unitarian in Devon, PA. She had been active in the PTA when her children were young.
She was always adventurous. She was the one who stood on the edges of cliffs, who walked on fallen logs, tried skiing for the first time in her 60's, insisted on driving even though the roads had been closed. Parkinson's disease slowed her down eventually. She had a long battle with the disease, having been diagnosed at age 63. Even then she was adventurous. We went on cross-country drives, took a trip to Africa, cruised the inside passages of Alaska.
She was, at the time, in her late 70's, the oldest person to receive a deep brain stimulator. She complained that her stair lift moved too slowly.
Mary is survived by her children, David Mead, Helen Mead, Jessie Wojdak, Jim Mead, and Jon Mead. She is also survived by eight grandchildren, five great grandchildren, and her partner of thirty-nine years, Ursula Siebeneich.
Donations in Mary's memory may be made to the National Parkinson Foundation at: https://secure3.convio.net/prkorg/site/Donation2?idb=266618838&df_id=1741&1741.donation=form1&idb=[[S76:idb]]
or by mailing a donation to
National Parkinson Foundation
Gift Processing Center
PO Box 5018 Hagerstown, MD 21741-5018
Services and Interment are private. Arrangements: The Donohue Funeral Home, 1627 West Chester Pike, West Chester, PA (610) 431-9000
Online condolences: www.donohuefuneralhome.com
After Mary's marriage ended she spent eleven months touring much of Europe in her VW Bug. Her two daughters were in Europe at the same time and all three women would meet up occasionally. She loved telling about her adventures and misadventures.
Mary had two passions in life
-
baseball and painting. She passed her love of baseball on to her children. Throughout her life she painted and drew whenever time permitted. Once her children were grown she threw herself into her work. She loved selling a piece almost as much as she loved creating it.
Mary was active in her churches, Central Baptist in Wayne, PA, and later at Main Line Unitarian in Devon, PA. She had been active in the PTA when her children were young.
She was always adventurous. She was the one who stood on the edges of cliffs, who walked on fallen logs, tried skiing for the first time in her 60's, insisted on driving even though the roads had been closed. Parkinson's disease slowed her down eventually. She had a long battle with the disease, having been diagnosed at age 63. Even then she was adventurous. We went on cross-country drives, took a trip to Africa, cruised the inside passages of Alaska.
She was, at the time, in her late 70's, the oldest person to receive a deep brain stimulator. She complained that her stair lift moved too slowly.
Mary is survived by her children, David Mead, Helen Mead, Jessie Wojdak, Jim Mead, and Jon Mead. She is also survived by eight grandchildren, five great grandchildren, and her partner of thirty-nine years, Ursula Siebeneich.
Donations in Mary's memory may be made to the National Parkinson Foundation at: https://secure3.convio.net/prkorg/site/Donation2?idb=266618838&df_id=1741&1741.donation=form1&idb=[[S76:idb]]
or by mailing a donation to
National Parkinson Foundation
Gift Processing Center
PO Box 5018 Hagerstown, MD 21741-5018
Services and Interment are private. Arrangements: The Donohue Funeral Home, 1627 West Chester Pike, West Chester, PA (610) 431-9000
Online condolences: www.donohuefuneralhome.com
To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Mary Mead, please visit our flower store.
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