Mary L. St. Gelais

1927 - 2022

Mary L. St. Gelais

Boscawen, NH - Mary L. St. Gelais, 95, passed away at Merrimack County Nursing Home on Saturday, November 5, 2022. Mary was born August 7, 1927 in Laconia, NH to the late Milton and Elsa (Griffin) Hayward. She also lived in Belmont, NH, graduating in the Class of 1945. She actually received her Diploma from her Dad, who was a member of the School Board at the time. While raising her own five children, Mary worked for many years as a Dietary Aide for Laconia High School, as well as McKerley's Nursing Home (now Genesis Health Care) and the St. Francis Home. Upon retirement, she and our Dad sold the family home on Lake Opechee and moved to Gilford where she remained until March of this year. She was a self-taught, accomplished artist. Her paintings can be found in many homes and also at Concord Hospital - Laconia. Among many of her hobbies, she also volunteered at the hospital, making dolls to comfort patients and knitting baby hats for the nursery. Mary was a lover of nature and animals of all kinds. She especially enjoyed watching the birds, with her favorite being the Cardinal. She was always fascinated with the weather and thought she would like to have been a Meteorologist. Mary was a kind, loving and caring person to everyone she met. She spent many hours over the years on the phone chatting with family members and friends to make sure everyone was doing well. Mary is survived by her two sons, Donald and his wife Sandra, of Meredith, NH and Stephen and his wife Yvonne, of Simi Valley, CA; her two daughters, Linda McGrath and her husband James, of Scranton, PA and Susan Jensen, and her husband Mark, of Gilford, NH; her daughter-in-law, Mary St. Gelais of Hampton, NH; her brother Robert Hayward and his wife Kathy of Kansas City, MO and her sister Patricia Varney, of Springfield, MA.; she always enjoyed spending time with her eight grandchildren, six great-grandchildren, and many nieces and nephews.

Along with her parents, she is predeceased by her husband Marcel J. St. Gelais, her son, Michael St. Gelais, and her two brothers, Willard "Bill" and Chester "Chet" Hayward. The family would like to thank the staff at Merrimack County Nursing Home and the Bayada Health Care Agency for the care and comfort they provided to our Mom during her time there. There will be no calling hours. A Celebration of Life will be held at the Gilford Community Church on Saturday, November, 12, 2022 at 10:00 am. A private graveside service will be held. For those who wish, the family suggests that memorial donations be made in Mary's name to the NH Humane Society, PO Box 572 Laconia, NH 03247 Wilkinson-Beane-Simoneau-Paquette Funeral Home & Cremation Services/603Cremations.com, 164 Pleasant Street, Laconia, is in charge of the arrangements. For more information and to view an on-line memorial, go to www.wilkinsonbeane.com.