DEVOE, Mary Elizabeth Lawton, of Carleton Willard Village, Bedford, Mass, died September 22, 2019.  Born June 25, 1927, she was the only child of Hilda Harris and Vincent James Lawton. She lived in Milton and then in Dorchester, where she attended Saint Mark church and also began her lifelong membership in Girl Scouts. She graduated from Dorchester High School for Girls, then from Massachusetts College of Art. She worked with exceptional children first at Perkins School for the Blind in Watertown and then at Perkins School in Lancaster. In 1950 she married Dr. Charles L. Devoe Jr. They made their home in Dorchester for the first few years of their marriage. It was there that Mary played roles in several amateur musical productions, including Brigadoon and South Pacific. In 1956, they moved to Lexington, where Mary and Charles raised their children and knitted themselves into the Lexington community. Mary taught Sunday School and was a member of the St. Brigid Sodality and the Choir. She volunteered with the Red Cross and the Lexington Historical Society. She joined the Decorative Arts Guild of The Lexington Arts and Crafts Society, and shared her artistic talents and fund-raising skills with the Guild for over 50 years. She was a dedicated poll worker, probably because it gave her a chance to visit with old friends and to make new ones. Mary enjoyed traveling to Hawai'i, Europe, the Holy Land and Egypt. She cared for both of her parents, her Aunt Clara, and her dear husband, in turn, for many years. She was blessed with decades of support and fun with her long-time friends, "The Potluckers." Mary not only loved being around family and friends, she also always tried to put others at ease. As soon as she moved to Carlton Willard, in 2014, she made it her mission help newcomers feel welcome. She played the piano and encouraged residents to participate in…everything! She especially loved watercolor class, where she excelled at creating delicate floral designs.

Mary was predeceased by her husband, Charles. She leaves three children, Suzanne Newton (Joe) of Greer, SC, Paul Devoe (Cindy) of Warrenton, VA, and Marianne Devoe (Vic) of Mattapoisett, MA, as well as three grandchildren, Jeremy Newton, Julia Newton, and Janet Hernandez (Tony), as well as great granddaughter Sophia.

Visiting hours will be Friday, September 27, from 5 to 7 PM at Douglass Funeral Home, 51 Worthen Road, Lexington, 02421. There will be a Mass of Christian Burial at Saint Brigid Church, 1981 Massachusetts Ave, Lexington 02421 on Saturday September 28 at 10 AM, with interment to follow at Westview Cemetery, Lexington. Relatives and friends are kindly invited to attend. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Saint Anthony Shrine, 100 Arch Street, Boston 02110 or the charity of your choice.