Mary Orintha Baxter passed away on May 23, 2015 at Marion Manor in Marion, Ohio.
Mary was born on August 1, 1917 and was preceded in death by her parents Henry and Lillian Baxter, sister Alta Baxter and beloved brother George Baxter, who lost his life in World War II.
She spent her early years in Ohio and Michigan, graduating from high school in Clare, Michigan in 1935, but spent the majority of her adult life in Ohio, the last thirty-five years in Marion. She did her college work at Central Michigan University; Morris Harvey College, Charleston, W.VA; and West Virginia State College. She acquired special training in care of the aging at Case Western Reserve University, seminars conducted by the American Association of Homes for the Aging and the Menninger Foundation.
Mary served in the U.S. Navy as an air traffic control tower operator from October 1942 to September 1945. Her work experience included five years in the foreign service with the U.S. Department of State serving in Turkey, Vietnam and the Philippines; Accountant for the Episcopal Diocese of W. Va.; Business Manager for Dunn Hospital, Charleston, W. Va; Accountant and Office Manager for the Women’s Hospital in Cleveland, Oh.; Executive Director of Amasa Stone House, Cleveland, Oh.; Consultant on Aging to WVIZ-TV in Cleveland, Oh.; Director Residents Relations for United Church Homes, Upper Sandusky, Oh. and Administrator of East Lawn Manor, the Marion County long term care facility.
Mary was always involved in the communities in which she resided and served as a member of the Board of Trustees for the Association of Ohio Philanthropic Homes for the Aging from 1977-1983; a member of the Geronthological Society and sat on the advisory board of the Ohio Commission on Aging. In her later years, she was a member of the League of Women Voters, the Marion Garden Club and volunteered at the Rahm Home.
Mary was a life-long member of the Episcopal Church and while in Cleveland, as a member of Emmanuel Church, she served on the vestry, as finance chair and as treasurer. In Marion she was an active member of St. Paul’s serving on the vestry in the 1980’s.
Mary had a life-long curiosity of the world and the various cultures and peoples who populated it. While in the foreign service, she traveled extensively to the surrounding areas of her duty stations and never came home empty-handed bringing jewelry, books, photographs and various examples of native arts and crafts as gifts for family and friends. As well as devoting many years of her life to caring for the aging population, Mary mentored many young individuals throughout her life, sharing her wisdom, her caring, optimistic outlook on life, and sometimes her home with them.
Mary is survived by numerous cousins, friends, former co-workers and former colleague and devoted friend to the end, Carol Crum.
The family would like to thank the staff of Kingston Residence of Marion and Marion Manor for their excellent care of Mary in the later years of her life and Denzer-Farison-Hottinger & Snyder Funeral Home for their services.
The Denzer-Farison-Hottinger & Snyder Funeral Home is honored to be serving Mary’s family. Services will be held privately. If so desired, condolences may be expressed to the family at www.SnyderFuneralHomes.com
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