Mary E Dunkle

COOPERSTOWN – Mary E Dunkle passed away peacefully on May 23, 2025, just shy of her 96th birthday.

She was born on May 30, 1929, to Kenneth Edwards & Mildred Gregg Edwards in Sussex, NJ. When Mary turned one, they moved to manage a family farm in Wayne County, PA. She graduated from Damascus High School and then from East Stroudsburg State University and became a teacher.

She married John Kiernan in 1950, and divorced in 1969. They had 2 daughters. She taught in Ithaca and Sherburne, but finished her career in 1978 in North Salem Schools in Northern Westchester County.

In 1972 she married Edwin Dunkle of Katonah. With Ed she purchased a camp on Lake Otsego where they would spend weekends and summers. Ed passed in 1979. Mary then sold the camp and purchased her home in the Village of Cooperstown, where she retired in 1984.

Mary had many interests. Sailing with the Otsego Sailing Club, skiing, and hiking each Tuesday with the Susquehanna Chapter of the Adirondack Mountain Club. She enjoyed sewing with the Presbyterians, knitting, overnight education trips with grandchildren, cooking for friends, volunteering, and was a crossword fanatic. Mary was involved in the beginning of the Glimmerglass Opera Guild and was President of Opera Guild International. She also was a great Friend of Bassett. She loved arranging fundraisers and was known for her fabulous parties. She was a master of entertaining.

Mary traveled the world and would collect ornaments from all over. She would decorate her home every Christmas with the ornaments and recruit her friends to assist. Her collection is close to 1000 pieces.

Mary was predeceased by her parents, her sister Eleanor Edwards Pallis, brother Arthur Edwards, and nephew Daniel Pallis. She is survived by her daughter Sandra Kiernan Fowlston (Tim) and her daughter Meg Kiernan (Mike), her grandchildren, Clint Fowlston (Vannesa), Jack Fowlston (Bryanna), Kate Haynes (Kenneth), Meg Rathbun (Tom), and Molly Hernandez (Dan). Also survived by her great-grandchildren, Brie, Brooke, Jayden, Camden, Owen, Kiernan, Penelope and Stetson. Also surviving are her step-children Steven, Eric and Denise Dunkle.

We invite her friends to join us for Mary's last party which will be held Sunday, June 8, 2025, at 4 p.m. at Cooperstown Coworks, 6 Doubleday Court, Cooperstown.

In lieu of flowers we encourage you to donate to the Glimmerglass Opera Guild PO Box 491 Cooperstown, NY 13326 or the Friends of Bassett, One Atwell Road Cooperstown, NY 13326.

Arrangements are under the care and guidance of the Connell, Dow & Deysenroth Funeral Home.

If you would like to send condolences to the family, send an email to Connell, Dow & Deysenroth. We will forward your comments to the family. If you would like to send flowers in memory of the deceased, contact Mohican Flowers at (607) 547-8822, or A Rose is a Rose at (607) 264-3100.