Mary Heard Johnson

Mary Heard Johnson, 100, of Exeter, died Saturday, January 10 surrounded by her loving family. She was born on August 6, 1925, in Manchester, NH, a daughter of Marston and Doris (Fellows) Heard. Mary graduated from Manchester High School and Saint Mary's in the Mountains, and then from Smith College in 1946, majoring in history.

While working in the family casket business in Boston, she was introduced to her future husband, Thomas Johnson, at a Harvard Musical Association concert. They married in 1949 and took up residence in Marblehead, MA. There, in addition to raising three sons, she was active in numerous organizations including leading the Marblehead Garden Club which was responsible for upkeep of the historic Lee Mansion gardens.

Mary was a member of the Old North Congregational Church in Marblehead and served as a Deaconess there. She was active in the SOS club and served as a volunteer in the Boston Seamen's Friend Society. Mary and Tom loved to travel and visited many countries in Europe and Asia. Inspired by her father, she was an avid Red Sox fan all her life. This past year she was even able to hold in her hand a World Series Championship Ring from a visiting player.

Survivors include her children, Thomas Marston Johnson and his wife Jeannie Schenin of Norwich, VT, Stephen Bertram Johnson and his wife Stephanie of New Castle, NH, and Geoffrey Warren Johnson of Roslindale, MA; 6 grandchildren, Nathaniel Johnson, Michael "Misha" Johnson, Alexander Johnson, Kathyrn "Molly" Johnson, Caroline Johnson, and Madeleine Johnson; and three great grandchildren, Linden Honeymeadow, Elio Moon, and Lenora Mary Huynh; and her sister, Elizabeth Heard Lufkin; along with a great many nieces and nephews and their families. Mary was predeceased by her husband Tom, and her daughter-in-law Dolores Costello.

A Celebration of Mary's life will be held at 11 AM on Saturday, January 24 at the New Castle Congregational Church, 65 Main Street, New Castle, NH. Friends are welcome. Interment will be this spring in Sandwich, NH at the same time as Geoffrey's wife Dolores.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Seafarer's Friend (https://www.seafarersfriend.org/support ) or Squam Lakes Conservation Society (https://www.squamslandtrust.org/ways-to-give/