Mary M. Bosley

Mary Mortimer Bosley, a long-term resident of South Orleans, passed away on the 20th of March, three years after suffering a debilitating stroke. She died peacefully on the first day of spring, surrounded by her family in Northern New Mexico, near her daughter's home, where she had been lovingly tended in recent years. Mary was born in Orange, New Jersey in 1933 to Charles G Mortimer and Elizabeth A Mortimer. She graduated from Glen Ridge High School in 1951 and received a BA from Smith College in 1955. Mary pursued a Masters in Education from Northwestern University and worked as a Special Education teacher in Western MA. In 1983 she was awarded a Doctorate from the Massachusetts School of Professional Psychology. Mary met her lifetime husband, Paul S Bosley, in 1956 at Union Seminary in New York City. They were married in June 1957 and were together up until her passing. Mary and Paul shared a deep love of their family and friends, their ever-welcoming home on the Namequoit River in Orleans, and a deep and abiding love of nature, especially of the ocean. Mary worked for over 30 years as a family therapist. She was one of the founding members of the Barnstable Center for Mental Health in West Barnstable, where she worked for 26 years - often serving multiple generations of families on the Cape and Islands. She became a dearly beloved therapist, mentor and coach to many, serving all with unconditional love, and tireless advocacy and support. She poured herself into her relationships, helping in school-systems at times of tragedy, running groups for Aids clients, officiating at services including weddings, or spending time with her extensive family, friends, colleagues, and her Womens Circle. Mary loved salt water and enjoyed long, leisurely swims at high tide in front of their home on her beloved waterfront. She was known for her elegant simplicity, her mindful, beautiful and abundant presentations of food and flowers, and for long visits over lunch that wound through numerous pots of tea and timeless conversation. She had a quick wit, hearty laugh, and feisty spirit. Mary was a blessing on this sweet earth with her grace and authentic love. She would be best served if the wonderful qualities she embodied were generously passed on to others by all who knew her. She will be dearly missed. Mary is survived by her husband, Paul Bosley, and their 3 children: Stephen Bosley, his wife Trish Kenney and their 2 children Rachael and Elijah; Michael Bosley and Karen Kenefick of Orleans, MA; Anny Bosley Ruge, her husband Chris Ruge and their 2 children, Cassidy and Teslin of Las Vegas, NM. Mary is also survived by the many children and siblings she adopted and nurtured over the years. A memorial service will be held at 1pm, May 31st at the First Parish Universalist Church in Brewster, MA.