Mary Hataway

HATAWAY (Boyle), Mary

February 27, 1939 - February 10, 2026

Mary Boyle Hataway of Atlanta, died peacefully February 10, 2026. She was 86.

Mary was born February 27, 1939, in Atlanta, to Robert Emmett Boyle, Jr., Chairman of the Southern Freight Association, and his wife, Roline Trimble Boyle.

Mary graduated North Fulton High School, in 1957, and received her Bachelor of Arts Degree in French Literature and Philosophy from Hollins College in 1961. She spent her junior year at the L'Universite de Paris-Sorbonne, where she developed a lifelong love of French culture, cuisine, and the city of Paris, itself.

After college, Mary worked in Public Relations and Marketing at Macy's in New York, styling photo shoots for the home décor department. She also moonlighted as a model for Vogue.

Mary returned to Atlanta in 1967, to work as a stockbroker. The office climate of the time dictated she fetch coffee and type letters instead of actually managing clients' accounts, and Mary was frustrated and bored.

Inspired by the French provisions she'd enjoyed as a student, Mary started her culinary career by making gourmet sandwiches, and selling them to co-workers and executives at the brokerage firm. In 1968, she founded an off-premise full-service catering company, The Moveable Feast, which received accolades in Southern Living and The Atlanta Journal Constitution. The popularity of The Moveable Feast led Mary to open one of Atlanta's first gourmet restaurants, The Patio, in 1976. The glamorous, intimate dining room served impeccable French cuisine, largely inspired by Julia Child, a friend and mentor of Mary's. Mary moved The Patio from its original location in Buckhead to the banks of the Chattahoochee River, in 1987, and The Patio by the River was born. Southern Living, christened the romantic spot the "best restaurant in the South." For the nearly two decades, through two incarnations of The Patio, the restaurant received The Wine Spectator's prestigious Award of Excellence for food, wine, and service, year after year.

In 1996, Mary founded Mary Hataway Catering in Charlotte, NC, and Atlanta, and then, in 2004, Atlanta's Soirée Catering and Events.

Since its founding in 1976, Mary has also been involved in Les Dames d'Escoffier, an organization whose mission is to bring classic culinary art into the modern era. In 1981, Mary collaborated with a group of food professionals to co-found The American Institute of Wine and Food, with Robert Mondavi and Julia Child.

Mary was a member of the Buckhead Rotary Club, The Ceramic Circle, and A Million Matters.

She was predeceased by her beloved husband, Harry Lane Hataway; her parents; and her brother, Robert Trimble Boyle. Surviving Mary are her stepson, Mike Hataway of Palm Bay, FL; her stepdaughter, Jenny Hataway-Baker (Mark) of Rock Hill, SC; and her stepgrandson, Stephen Hataway, Jr. (Amber) of Lawrenceville, GA.

A private memorial service will be held in Atlanta, with Stephen Hataway, Jr., officiating. The burial will precede the memorial service. Funeral arrangements will be made by H.M. Patterson and Sons, Oglethorpe Hill.

In lieu of flowers, Mary's family requests contributions be sent to A Million Matters, The American Institute of Wine and Food, or Les Dames d'Escoffier.