ALFRED STATION-Mary E. Hawes, 83, passed away peacefully Wednesday morning (Feb. 6, 2019) at her home on County Route 68 (Crosby Creek Road).
Born in Holland, Va. on June 9, 1935, she was a daughter of the late Cephus and Mary (Joyner) Gardner. Besides her parents, she was also predeceased by her brother, Luke Gardner, Jr.; her two sisters, Rachel Harrel and Ida Odom; and her son-in-law, Mark Lehman.
A graduate of Holland (Va.) High School in 1954, Mary was married on Nov. 16, 1957 at St. Mary’s at the Lake Catholic Church in Watkins Glen, N.Y. to James E. Hawes, who survives. She and Jim formerly resided in Suffolk, Va. and Alfred and they have resided at their home on Crosby Creek Road since 1966.
Before she retired, she was employed at SUNY Alfred for 25 years.
Mary was an active member of Our Lady of the Valley Parish and was a devout communicant of St. Ann’s Church in Hornell where she was a member of the Resurrection Choir and the “cleaning crew.” She also volunteered her time making crafts and baking cakes for the former annual St. Ann’s Church Festival and for many years she loved volunteering as a playground monitor for the former St. Ann’s School. Throughout the years Mary also delivered Meals On Wheels.
Mary loved spending time hunting and fishing with her husband – better shot than Papa. She also enjoyed knitting, sewing, crocheting and baking; lemon poppy seed bread was one of her specialties that she enjoyed sharing with family and friends. Mary will be remembered most of all for being a loving and devoted wife, mother, grandmother and great-grandmother.
Her loving family includes her husband of 61 years, Jim; one son, Harry (Diane) Hawes of Honeoye; one daughter, Kathy (Jon) Gallant of Alfred Station; four grandchildren, Aaron (Megan) Lehman, Matthew Lehman, Nick Hawes and Becky Hawes; one great-granddaughter, Josephine Mary Joyce Lehman; three sisters, Amy Tucker and Bernice Sedberry both of Virginia and Brenda (Joe) Dilday of North Carolina; also one sister-in-law, Faye Gardner of Virginia; as well as many nieces, nephews and cousins.
The Bishop & Johnson Funeral Home, Inc. in Hornell is honored to serve the family of Mary E. Hawes.
Calling hours are 4-6 p.m. Monday (Feb. 11, 2019) at the Bishop & Johnson Funeral Home, Inc., 285 Main St., Hornell. Friends are invited to meet her family at St. Ann’s Church in Hornell where a Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 10 a.m. Tuesday (Feb. 12, 2019). Interment will be in Seneca Union Cemetery, Valois, N.Y.
In lieu of flowers, those wishing may contribute in her memory to St. Ann’s Academy, P.O. Box 446, Hornell, N.Y. 14843. Envelopes for memorial contributions will be available at the funeral home.
Online condolences or remembrances of Mary are welcomed on the Facebook page of Bishop & Johnson Funeral Home, Inc. or at www.bishopandjohnsonfuneralhome.com.
