Mary Cotton, on May 5, 2011, in Newton, formerly of Natick and Lexington, in her 90th year. Beloved wife of the late Eugene Cotton, with whom she shared thirty-one years of marriage and true partnership until his untimely death in 1977. Devoted mother of John Cotton and his wife Elizabeth Livingood Cotton of Los Angeles and of Deborah Cotton Lipsett (known professionally as Dr. Deborah Cotton) and her husband Roger Lipsett of Newton. Loving grandmother of Alexander Cotton, Benjamin Cotton, Nicholas Cotton, Andrew Lipsett and his fiance Emily Berry, Dr. Susan Lipsett, and Katherine Lipsett Martinez and her husband Rafael Martinez. Mary was born in Manchester, New Hampshire, the eldest child of the late Hannah (Cavanaugh) and John Kelly. Her dear siblings John (Jack) Kelly, Rita Kelly Walsh, and Richard (Dick) Kelly all predeceased her. Mary is survived by her sisters-in-law, Mary Quinn Kelly and Theresa St. Onge Kelly, as well as numerous nieces, nephews, great-nieces, great-nephews, cousins and many friends. She watched over her little great-niece and namesake, the late Elizabeth Mary Millus, with special tenderness. Mary had hoped to have a large family. Instead she showered the two children she was able to have with enough love for ten and worked tirelessly as a volunteer in Natick, serving as Scout leader, room mother, voter registration worker, and school library volunteer, as well as Sodality member and religious education teacher at St. James Church in Wellesley. Mary was also a dedicated Town Meeting Member in Natick. When her children were older she worked at the Wellesley Travel Agency. Some of her happiest days were spent in Hawaii in the 1960's, raising her children and assisting the families of the MIT Lincoln Laboratory research group her husband led there. Later, in Lexington, Mary was an active member of St. Brigid's Church, a regular volunteer at Rosie's Place, and worked at Varian Associates. Affectionately referred to by her grandchildren as "Mimi", "The Meemster", and "the Energizer Bunny", during the nineteen eighties and nineties Mary was a constant presence in the Lipsett home in Newton, driving there from Lexington nearly every day to provide laughter, chauffeur service and wise counsel to her grandchildren and their friends, ably assisted by nannies Martina Kehoe Kelley and Breige Atkinson Fitzgerald. She also loved to fly to California on a moment's notice to help with her grandsons there. Mary's first date with her husband was attending a Boston Symphony Orchestra concert in 1944 and she held season tickets to the BSO for over fifty years. Listening to classical music enriched her life and eased her final days. Mary was a social justice Catholic, ardent feminist, early supporter of gay rights and eternal optimist. Burial will be private. A memorial service was held at St. Brigid's Church, Lexington, on Wednesday, May 11, at 3 p.m. A celebration of Mary's life followed at the Lipsett residence in Newton, from 5-9 p.m. All those whose lives she touched were most cordially invited to attend. Donations in Mary's memory may be sent to Rosie's Place.