Mary Wassung
East Lyme — Mary Williamson Wassung, born in Troy, N.Y., daughter of Edith and Donald Williamson, passed Oct. 1, 2022. She grew up in Delmar, N.Y., graduated from University of Connecticut with a degree in nursing, and earned her master’s from Columbia University.
She is survived by her daughters, Susi, Kathy, MJ and Trish; her sons, Robert, Geoff and Will; and her various and assorted sons and daughtersin-law; and her giant cast of 17 grandchildren who adored her; and her five great-grandchildren. She was predeceased by her husband of 42 years, Robert. She was also predeceased by her parents; her brothers; her sister; and her daughter Missy.
Mary became an integral part of everything she decided to become involved with
— her church, her jobs, her community, her friendships, her gardens. She sang in choirs, rang hand bells, sang professionally and sang going about her day. She surrounded herself with music. She adored horses and rode early in life and then again after she retired; few things gave her more pleasure than mucking out a stall or currycombing one of her Morgans. She practiced and taught nursing with clarity and precision; her focus was always on her patients or her students. When her health began to fail, she took each of her caretakers under her wing to instruct, to coach, to illuminate. She cooked with passion, often for a giant crowd, at holidays and church gatherings and family events — always making it look effortless on the day. She had a genius capacity for preparation and preplanning. She volunteered for church committees, sat on boards and contributed her time and energy to whatever services were required. She read constantly, traveled extensively, lived vibrantly.
Her shining strength was raising her family. She created homes in which she celebrated and embraced all of her children as they grew, left, returned. She nurtured and supported them all across successes and failures. She hand stitched quilts for each grandchild as they were born, and established a sweet, deep connection to every child, grandchild or great-grandchild lucky enough to call her “Mom” or “Nana.” She baked pies, cookies, brownies and more cookies for holidays, for college care packages, or to bring to whatever family event she graced.
Her loss cannot be measured, and is only eclipsed by the love and thanks we all have for her.
A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 19, at the Niantic Community Church, 170 Pennsylvania Avenue, Niantic. A reception will follow. Thomas L. Neilan & Sons East Lyme Funeral Home is assisting the family with arrangements. Please visit www.neilanfuneralhome.com to leave the family an online condolence.