Mary Elizabeth (Hilton) Hemeon died of natural causes in Port Charlotte, FL. at the age of 94. Known by family and friends as "Mother Mary", she is remembered for her maternal sensibilities and great warmth. She listened patiently to the troubles of others, and dispensed straightforward advice when it was called for. She was gregarious, laughed heartily, and people gravitated to her. Known for her hospitable nature, she welcomed everyone, the many friends of her seven children and anyone else who came through her door. She would set a place at the table for any visitor who was present at meal time.
She was born in Malden on March 22, 1926, the daughter of John and Katherine (O'Malley) Hilton. John was a contractor, born in Wells, ME; Katherine was a native of County Mayo, Ireland. The family lived in Somerville before moving to Lexington, where John built a home for them. Mary and her two sisters attended Lexington public schools; Mary was a graduate of Lexington High School.
Mary met her future husband Edgar J. "Bill" Hemeon on a blind date arranged by their mothers, who belonged to the same bridge club. Bill was a firefighter stationed at the Watertown Arsenal. They married in 1946, began their family in a triple-decker in Jamaica Plain. In the 1950s, they moved to Lexington, and lived in a house built by Mary's father on Baker Avenue, next door to the house where she grew up.
They had seven children. On the last day of school, they set out for Brier Neck, Gloucester, where they spent the summer in a rambling house set high up on the rocks overlooking Salt Island and Good Harbor Beach. Bill's father had built the house. The children, their cousins and friends made it a lively place.
Bill died in 1972 of metastatic cancer, at age 49.
Mary worked for more than twenty years at Lexington High School as a House Secretary. She was 'Mother Mary' to many of the students, who appreciated her kindness and patience with their academic and adolescent issues. She was well- respected, was both fair and firm. On her 80th birthday, William G. Tapply, a teacher and administrator at LHS, and later an author, wrote that the secretary in his popular Brady Coyne mysteries was modeled after Mary.
Mary was an avid reader, knitted afghans, enjoyed playing cards, taught flower arranging in continuing education classes, and was a Girl scout leader. An enthusiastic traveler, she and her friends visited Ireland, Italy, and other European countries. She was known as a good traveling companion, even when 'roughing it' on a camping trip. She was delighted with food, and was known for her home-baked desserts. She truly loved people, maintained long-term friendships while making new friends throughout her life. Her no-nonsense advice often consisted of two simple sentences: "Stop feeling sorry for yourself. Pull yourself up by your bootstraps and get going".
In her last year, when her health was declining, she told a family member, "Don't be sorry for me if I die tomorrow. I've had a great life. You should be happy for me."
Mary is survived by a sister, Ann (Hilton) Stiles of Lincoln, MA; children William Randolph Hemeon (Julia) of Vienna, VA; Mary Macdonald and Katherine Hemeon of Gloucester; Deborah Jokl (Timothy) of Carmel, IN; John Hemeon and Patricia Fiore (Wayne) of North Port, FL; James Hemeon (Lynda) of Rockport, MA; 19 grandchildren and 18 great-grandchildren. She was predeceased by her parents, husband Bill, sister Katherine Patricia Hilton-Blaney of CA, and son-in-law Timothy Macdonald.

A Memorial Mass will be held Friday June 11 at Sacred Heart Church, 16 Follen Rd. Lexington at 11am. Calling hours at the Douglass Funeral Home, 51 Worthen Rd. Lexington, immediately prior to the Mass, from 9:30am to 10:45am. Relatives and friends are kindly invited.

In Lieu of flowers, donations in her name may be made to the Open Door Food Pantry, 28 Emerson Ave., Gloucester, MA 01930; to Lexington High School Scholarship Fund, c/o Town of Lexington Trustees of the Public Trust, Office of Select Board, 1625 Massachusetts Ave., Lexington, MA 02421; or to a charity of one's choice.

Interment Westview Cemetery, Lexington.