After attending The Shrubberies School in Stonehouse, she went to work at Straums making billiard cloth, before being made redundant. She then cared for her mother, taking care of the cooking, washing and housework until she passed away about 19 years ago. After that she lived with Beryl for the rest of her life.

Mary was very much part of family life. As her nieces Kelly, Sarah and Kim say, Aunty Mary was just always there, a sort of older sister come second mum. She had a great sense of fun and loved to see others enjoying themselves. She also adored the family dogs, Star and Luna, and never tired of repeating stories about their antics.

Whilst she had the capacity to be a bit cantankerous occasionally (who doesn’t?!), she was largely a happy soul who took pleasure in lots of things. She enjoyed knitting, despite invariably unravelling most of what she had created! She had a passion for handbags and was always buying new ones, her family having to subtly dispose of the old ones to avoid being overwhelmed! She also loved the theatre, especially musicals, as well as anything to do with the Air Ambulance (hence why her family chose that cause for donations today).