MARY CHILTON HATHAWAY

1928 - 2021

HATHAWAY, Mary Chilton Age 93, a life-long Kingston resident, passed away on December 31, 2021 at Newfield House in Plymouth. The daughter of the late Dorothy Holmes Hathaway and Isaac Hathaway, Mary is survived by one brother, Isaac Hathaway of New York; two nieces, Janet Tusing of Virginia and Elizabeth Glassford of Pennsylvania, and one nephew, James Hathaway of Vermont. Additionally, Mary leaves several cousins and many long-standing friends.

Mary was a member of the Class of 1945 of Kingston High School and the Class of 1949 of Colby College. During those years, Mary forged friendships that have lasted a lifetime. She was a generous and faithful alumnus of her beloved Colby, and regularly attended college events and reunions.

Deeply attuned to the natural world from her earliest years, Mary's childhood was filled with explorations of the woods and streams of Kingston, especially along the Jones River and Grey's Beach. Several decades ago, Mary began noticing with alarm how much of that land was being lost to development, and thus began her long battle to protect the wild spaces of Southeastern Massachusetts. Because of her energy, tenacity, and her gifts of parcels of land, future generations will know the regenerative balm of open spaces and quiet woodlands.

Woven into the fabric of Mary's life was her deep respect for the power and beauty of words. Mary brought that love of language into her classroom at Silver Lake Regional High School where she was Chairperson of the English Department for many years. Mary also served as a Kingston Library trustee and was on the Board of Wildlands Trust.

An enthusiast of rigorous physical activity, Mary always chose walking over driving if possible. In summer, Mary would tend to her extensive gardens and then walk miles along Plymouth beach ending with a brick swim. Nearing eighty, Mary embarked on a challenging trekking adventure across sections of Switzerland with her niece, Jan.

Mary Chilton Hathaway was a direct descendent of 12 year old Mary Chilton, a Mayflower passenger who is believed by many to be the first Pilgrim woman to step on Plymouth soil. Like her ancestors, Mary Chilton Hathaway was a visionary who had the courage and strength to make the world she inhabited a much better place.

A Celebration of Mary's life will be held on her birthday, June 11, 2022. Details will follow. Memorial gifts may be made to Colby College, 4000 Mayflower Hill Drive, Waterville, ME 04901 or Wildlands Trust, 675 Long Pond Road, Plymouth, MA 02360.