If there was a need, Mary was always there to fill it. She was the unofficial mayor of Lore Drive, coordinating all the holidays and luncheons. If her T.V was on she’d be checking out crime shows or catching up with her friends at General Hospital. She loved country music; old and new, but a huge fan of Randy Travis. As a mom, she made her expectations clear: her kids knew to listen and to do the right thing. Christmas was her holiday: baking started a month prior, filling all of her tins. Mexican wedding cake and pumpkin bread were always favorites. Mary was a bona fide animal lover; always a cat or dog by her side. She loved to play a little bingo, worked for Heritages and Logan Liquors for many years, and worked the polls in Swedesboro every election.
She’d meet a handsome guy, the late Edwin Sr., while waitressing at a Swedesboro Diner. He’d win her over, wed on Aug. 10, 1963, and share a 41-year marriage blessed by 4 children: Edwin Jr., William, Mark (Robert) Lord-Schell and Jacquelyn (Kenard) Lloyd; and later by grandchildren, Joshua, Tiera, Leanna, Ryan and Liza; and great-grandchildren, Milania, Lilianna and Xavier. She is survived by her sister, Cathryn (John) Hemphill, her niece and goddaughter, Leeora Eason, a host of nieces, nephews, friends and her cat, Boots.
Come celebrate 80 great years Thursday 6-8 p.m. and Friday 9-10 a.m. at Daley Life Celebration Studio, where there will be a 10 a.m. service. Interment Brig. Gen. William C. Doyle Cemetery, Wrightstown NJ. Family wishes to thank the 5th floor nurses at Inspira, Mullica Hill and Samaritan Hospice for their loving care. In lieu of flowers, donations to Leukemia and Lymphoma Society (leukemia.org) will be appreciated.