Mary Augusta Stapp was born on 12. Jan. 1922 at Anacortes, Skagit County, Washington. She was the daughter of
Charles Poling Stapp and
Mary A Wilson. Mary Augusta Stapp died on 4. Jul. 2005 at Mount Vernon, Skagit County, Washington, at age 83.
Mary Augusta Stapp
Mary Augusta Stapp, 83, a resident of Guemes Island, suffered a massive stroke and died at home while dressing for July 4 festivities with her family.
She was born in Anacortes on Jan. 12, 1922, to Mary and Charles Stapp Jr. She grew up on Guemes Island and in Anacortes, and graduated from Anacortes High School.
A University of Washington graduate, Mary was a fervent Husky fan. She taught high school in Centralia before earning her master of education degree from New York University.
She taught at Florida State University in Tallahassee, Fla. There, she met Eleanor "Gee" Gandy, her devoted life partner of 54 years. They taught in Pasadena, Calif., before moving back to the Northwest and surviving a record cold winter in their cabin on Guemes Island.
Mary resumed her teaching career at Anacortes High School in 1955. She retired in 1978. During summers, Mary and Gee operated Skagit Trails, a summer camp for girls, at their property on Lake Sixteen. Gee died of cancer on March 14, 2004.
In retirement, Mary volunteered at Skagit Valley Hospital and was an active member and leader in the Audubon Society. She maintained abundant bird feeding stations in view of her kitchen window, shared her fruit crops with all and welcomed all wildlife into her yard.
Mary's most passionate retirement activity was spurred by her reverence for wood. She was a charter member of Art Wood, a woodworkers' cooperative in Fairhaven, where she basked in the love and support of her fellow woodworkers. It was her special talent to see birds, frogs, bears and dogs in what looked like knobby pieces of firewood to everyone else.
Every spare moment found her carving while keeping track of the birds outside her window and watching whatever Seahawk, Sonic or Husky game was on television. She continued her fitness regime and enjoyed robust health until the day she died.
Hers was a life of service to others — her family, friends, students and the natural world. Her family cherishes memories of her life and misses her daily, and takes comfort in the fact that her death was sudden and without lingering pain.
Mary was preceded in death by her brothers Charles and Dickinson.
She is survived by her 98-year-old sister, Sylvia Carothers; two sisters-in-law, Mary and Marge; and seven nieces and nephews and their families.
A memorial service is 11 a.m. Saturday, July 16, 2005, at United Methodist Church, 2201 H Ave., Anacortes. A reception will follow.
In lieu of flowers, donations are suggested to Skagit Audubon, P.O. Box 1101, Mount Vernon, WA 98273; or to Skagit Valley Hospital Foundation, P.O. Box 1376, Mount Vernon, WA 98273.