Mary Kirtson Cuddeback

Mary Kirtson Cuddeback of Homosassa, FL, who celebrated her 100th birthday this past Dec. 10th, passed away in Inverness, FL, on Sunday, June 16, 2024 after a brief illness.

A native of Kingston, NY, she was one of two children to Anthony and Anna Kirtson. Mary's parents were from Constantinople (now Istanbul), but were displaced to Thessalonica, Greece. They eventually emigrated to New York via Ellis Island in the early 1900s.

Mary attended and graduated from Kingston High School, where she played on the basketball team. She then graduated from business school. She married in 1955 and had one daughter, Renee; she divorced three years later.

She had an illustrious career that broke many barriers for women. She began as a paralegal at a law firm in Kingston – a job which she always said was her favorite. She eventually moved on to become an administrative secretary at IBM, first at the Kingston branch and eventually at the Tampa branch, where she worked until she retired in 1989. She also performed legal dictation and held Sarah Coventry Jewelry demonstrations on weekends.

Mary was dedicated to providing a college education for her family; she was able to help send Renee and only grandson, Michael, to college. In her retirement, Mary loved reading (especially Danielle Steel), doing all types of puzzles (especially Sudoku, Jumble, and cryptoquotes), playing games on her computer, doing yard work, and playing cards with her family and friends.

She was a wonderful cook, and was well-known for her homemade Greek pastries, which she often shared with her postman and other people with whom she came in contact.

After living for thirty years in Dunedin, she relocated to the The Hammocks of Sugarmill Woods five years ago to be closer to Renee, who will always remember Mary's sense of humor and fun-loving spirit. She brought joy to the lives of her family and many friends, who will miss her dearly.

Mary was preceded in death by her brother, George Kirtson. She is survived by her daughter, Renee Mavros of Homosassa; her grandson, Michael Mavros (Lauren) of Boston, MA; and her great-grandson, Gabriel Mavros, also of Boston, MA. A Gathering of Family and Friends with Prayer Service will take place on Friday, June 21, 2024 from 12:00 noon until 2:45 P.M. at Macrini-Wilder Funeral Home, 4890 S. Suncoast Blvd., in Homosassa. Interment Prayers will follow at Fountains Memorial Park in Homosassa at 3:00pm.