Mary Elizabeth Koukol

1933 - 2024

Mary Elizabeth Koukol (Alexander) passed away peacefully in her sleep on August 28, 2024, at age 91. She was born July 23, 1933, and was welcomed to her Canton home by her parents Gardner Alexander and Nyrhe. Her family moved to Mansfield in 1939 and settled on Central Street where Mary attended Paine School with her childhood friends Helen Jean and Brenda. She took piano lessons as a child and was a very accomplished pianist. She continued her education in the Mansfield school system, graduating in 1951 as class Valedictorian.

Mary was accepted into the Massachusetts General Hospital School of Nursing Class of 1954. Her classmates included her life-long friends Priscilla, Nancy, Sally, Moodie, and June. The girls continued to meet well into their 80s and told wonderful stories of nursing school and their hi-jinks.

On May 16, 1953, Mary married her long-time beau, David Koukol. Their courtship began when David began walking Mary home from her neighborhood baby-sitting job. Mary and David welcomed their first child, Katherine. Kathie was followed by her sisters Elizabeth (Betsey), and Brenda.

Mary's first nursing jobs included the Visiting Nurse Association and assisting the Mansfield School Nurse, Ruth Forbes with testing. In 1965, she was hired as a full-time nurse for the Mansfield school system. During Mary's tenure as school nurse, the nurses engaged in actual nursing care, conducting vision and hearing tests, and assisting the town doctors with inoculations and school physical exams. During their time working together, Mary and Ruth became lifelong friends.

The Koukol family enjoyed many years at their vacation cottage on Lake Horace in New Hampshire and later at a cottage on Sebago Lake in Maine with many happy adventures on their pontoon boat.

Mary retired from the Mansfield school system in 1998. She continued providing skilled nursing care at the former Country Haven nursing home in Norton for several years.

In retirement, Mary enjoyed spending time with David at Sebago Lake. Mary and David also enjoyed traveling including a trip on the Orient Express, a European river cruise, a Mississippi River cruise, a houseboat vacation on Lake Powell, and trips to Washington State and San Antonio.

Mary and David were awaiting the completion of their retirement home in the Oak Point 55+ community when David passed away in March 2003. Mary continued traveling visiting her daughter Betsey, in her South Carolina home. She also voyaged through the Panama Canal and made trips to England and Eastern Europe. She was an intrepid and curious traveler.

Mary spent her last few years living in her home with her daughter Brenda, who provided exemplary care for her mother. She was predeceased by her parents Gardner and Nyrhe Alexander and her brother Phillip Alexander. She is survived by her daughters Katherine Koukol-Opatka and her husband David Opatka of Foxborough; Elizabeth Mitchell and her husband Harold of Moncks Corner, South Carolina; Brenda Koukol of Plainville; and her brother Robert Alexander and his wife Alice. She is also survived by her grandchildren Greg, Daniel and Anna and several great-grandchildren.

A Memorial Service will be held at the Spring Brook Cemetery Memorial Chapel at 1PM on Saturday, September 21, 2024. Burial will follow. Friends and relatives of the family are welcome.

In lieu of flowers, if you so wish, please send donations to Old Colony Hospice in West Bridgewater, Massachusetts.

Arrangements entrusted to Sowiecki-Snyder Home for Funerals & Cremation Services.

For online condolences, please visit www.sowieckifh.com