Mary Alice Casey, 91, of Shallotte, NC, formerly of Foxfire Village, NC and Long Island, NY passed away peacefully on Wednesday, September 1, 2021 at Brunswick Health and Rehab Center. Her long-time friend Page Coker was at her side.
Mary was born in Brooklyn, NY on March 2, 1930 and was the daughter of Robert and Elizabeth Casey. Mary graduated from Bishop McDonald Memorial High School. She worked for Metropolitan Life Insurance Company for two years, worked eighteen years for the American Bankers Association in Manhattan and retired from the Credit Research Foundation.
In 1994, Mary moved to Foxfire Village with her brother, Robert, where they built their home on Pine Tree Terrace. It was here Mary formed many lifelong friendships, one of which was with her close friends Charles and Page Coker. Mary could often be heard referring to Page as her daughter. While living at Foxfire Village, Mary loved playing golf with her teammates the “Foxy Niners”. She was also a very active member of the Sandhills Quilters and won many ribbons for her work over the years. She loved the time spent with her quilting circle of friends. Many of Mary’s quilts have been donated to charities for their fundraising raffles.
After the passing of Mary’s brother, Robert, in 2017, Mary came to live with Page and Charlie Coker. In January 2018, Mary moved with them to Rivers Edge Golf and Plantation in Shallotte, NC. Mary was very happy with sitting out on their deck and seeing the beautiful sunsets out over the water and enjoying her glass of wine or pumpkin spice liquor.
A celebration of Mary’s 90th birthday was held at Brick Landing where 60 of her old and new friends gathered to honor her. Her dear friend, Father Daniel Fitzpatrick of Fordham University in the Bronx, NY came to deliver a special blessing for Mary at St. Brendan’s Catholic Church in Shallotte. She was so honored to have so many of her friends from Foxfire Village and new friends from Rivers Edge celebrate with her on her special day.
Faith has always been the foundation of Mary’s life. As a devout Irish Catholic, she was a member of the Sacred Heart Catholic Church of Pinehurst and St. Brendan’s Catholic Church in Shallotte. At Sacred Heart she was a member of the Adoration Society for 15 years. She gave faithfully to the Order of Dominican Nuns of Summit, NJ and the New York Province Society of Jesus (Jesuits) New York, NY.
Mary was a survivor of polio as a small child and a recent survivor of COVID in January 2021. She believed in living each day counting her blessings knowing tomorrow is not promised to anyone.
Mary was preceded in death by her parents, Robert and Elizabeth Casey, and her brother, Robert J. Casey. Mary will live on in the hearts and minds of everyone she enacted with as well as for her philanthropy. Mary is survived by her extended family, Page and Charles Coker of Shallotte, NC and formerly of Foxfire Village.
A funeral mass will be held 11:00 AM Friday, September 10, 2021 at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Pinehurst. Interment will follow at St. Anthony of Padua Catholic Cemetery. The family will receive friends from 10-11 AM before the service at the church.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Sacred Heart Catholic Church, 300 Dundee Rd., Pinehurst, NC 28374.
Online condolences may be made at www.bolesfuneralhome.com.
Services have been entrusted to Boles Funeral Home.
