Mary Moon Woodsen

Mary Moon Woodsen—born Mary Ada Brock on March 6, 1948, in Oneida, New York—lived a life rooted in curiosity, stewardship, and a deep commitment to her community.

A graduate of Victor High School, Mary studied at Binghamton University and earned a writing degree from Empire State College. Ever eager to learn, she cultivated a remarkable range of interests—from auto mechanics and home renovation to gardening, wildlife tracking, and, above all, writing.

As a freelance writer, Mary’s work appeared in Audubon, Outside, High Country News, The New York Times, Forest Magazine, American Way, Living Bird, American Forests, Cornell Plantations Magazine, Ithaca Times, and Ithaca Journal, among many others. She also spent many years as a science writer for the New York State Integrated Pest Management Program at Cornell University in Ithaca, where she had a gift for making science come alive for readers of all backgrounds.

A lover of the natural world, Mary found joy in long walks in the wild. She hiked the Appalachian Trail and loved natural places like the Adirondacks and her own backyard. Her commitment to environmental conservation led her to play a founding role in Greensprings Natural Cemetery Preserve, New York State’s first natural burial ground, where she also served as the organization’s founding president.

Mary built community wherever she went. She was known for her warmth, generosity, and delightfully eclectic circle of friends—her cherished housemates, her treasured “bus friends” (Mary chose public transit over driving whenever possible, out of care for the planet), and the many groups she nurtured through her presence and compassion.

She believed in helping those in need and often said that forgiveness was essential to living a good life. She approached each day with a desire to make the world better, guided by her simple, joyful creed: “I love life.”

Mary is survived by her brother, Alvin Brock; her son, Carl Gibson; her daughter-in-law, Sujata Gibson; her beloved granddaughters, Julia and Liliasha Gibson; and her life partner, Henry Fitzgerald. She was predeceased by her sister, Esther Gowan, in 2024. Though her hands are now at rest, Mary’s gentle ways and teachings live on—in gardens she tended, in words she wrote, and in the many lives she touched.

Family and friends are invited to a graveside service at 1:00 p.m. on Sunday, November 9, 2025, at Greensprings Natural Cemetery Preserve, 293 Irish Hill Road, Newfield, NY 14867. Following the service, there will be a gathering from 3:00 to 5:00 p.m. at the Ithaca Waldorf School, 20 Nelson Road, Ithaca, NY 14850. For those who wish to offer a potluck contribution at the reception, they will be welcomed.

In lieu of flowers, please consider a contribution in Mary’s name to Greensprings Natural Cemetery Preserve.