HALLOWELL — Mary Elizabeth (Fisher) McWilliams was born June 22, 1918, to Howard C. and Caroline M. Fisher in Providence, RI. She died on Tuesday, August 28, 2018.

Mary graduated from Pawtucket RI high school in 1936 and from Connecticut College in 1940 with a degree in economics. She returned to college receiving her master’s of education from Bridgewater State University in 1977.

In June Mary celebrated her 100th birthday with a lunch gathering of friends and family including grandchildren, great-grandchildren, nieces and nephews from across the country. She said it was the best birthday she’d ever had.

In March 1942 Mary married Randall H. McWilliams. In 1959 they moved their family to Canton, Mass. Mary stayed home to raise her children until returning to the workforce in the early ’70s as the librarian at the Dean S. Luce School in Canton. In 1994, Mary moved to Brunswick, Maine and most recently to Hallowell, Maine.

Small but mighty, Mary raised four children, and was involved in their Scouting and other activities as well as many car pools. She was a member of the United Church of Christ in Canton and the First Parish Church in Brunswick. She was an artist at heart and tried many arts and crafts throughout her life. Mary sewed beautifully, making clothes for herself, her children and even for their dolls. She took up stained glass, flower arranging and jewelry making. Drawing and painting came in her later years and she thoroughly enjoyed taking classes to improve her skills. Mary was a lifelong bridge player and a charter member of the Bloody Marys at Thornton Oaks in Brunswick.

Mary is survived by her children — Peter of Cologne, Germany, Jean of Hallowell, Maine, John (Hazelle) of Reading, Mass and Martha (Doug) Weishahn of Lincoln, Nebraska. She is also survived by her grandchildren and great-grandchildren — Jessica Plante (Vernon Gardiner), Elijah (Dani) Plante, John Weishahn, Elizabeth (Doug) Szwanek, Matthew McWilliams and Thomas McWilliams; Julie Plante, Kaitlin Gardiner, Kalin Plante, Elijah Plante and Claire Szwanek, also her great-great-grandson Kai Cole. She was preceded in death by her husband, her parents and her brother Joseph L. Fisher.

The family would like to thank the staff at Thornton Oaks, Neighbors Elder Care and Granite Hill Estates for helping Mom remain independent for as long as possible, and the staff at Glenridge Nursing Home and MaineGeneral Hospice for caring for her when she could no longer do so.

Services will be held at First Parish Church in Brunswick, Maine, on Tuesday, September 4th at 11 a.m.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to Neighbors, Inc (Elder Care) P.O. Box 728, Brunswick, ME 04011 or Bowdoin International Music Festival, 6300 College Station, Brunswick, ME 04011-8463.

It was Mary wish to be cremated and have some of her ashes scattered at her favorite places of Touisset, RI where she spent summers with her parents and brother; Ray Point Maine and Tunk Lake Maine. Other cremains will be interred at Swan Point Cemetery in Providence, RI.

Arrangements are in the care of Staples Funeral Home, 53 Brunswick Ave., Gardiner.

Memories may be shared on the funeral home website at www.staplesfuneralhomes.com.