Mary Loder Niles

Mary Loder Niles HINGHAM Mary Loder Niles, a long-time resident of Hingham and West Falmouth, died Monday, Dec. 7, 2009, at the age of 96 at Harbor House in Hingham. She was the wife of Louville French Niles, who died in 1977. Born in Boston to Dr. and Mrs. Halsey Beach Loder, she was raised in Brookline, and graduated from the May School and Vassar College, where she majored in physiology. Following her marriage in 1936, she and her husband settled in Hingham where they raised five children and remained for the rest of their lives. Mary Niles was an active and beloved member of First Parish in Hingham, Old Ship Church (Unitarian Universalist), for close to seventy years, serving as deacon from 1976 until the time of her death. Also active in community affairs, she was a founding member of the Hingham Theater for Children which drew its cast from Hinghams old and young, and of the Friends of the Hingham Public Library which was the driving force behind the building of the current structure. She served as library trustee for many years. In the 1980s she donated 30 acres of woods and wetlands to the Hingham Land Conservation Trust and placed a conservation restriction around her home near Cushing Pond. In 2005 she was honored as the Hingham Journals Citizen of the Year for her many years of generous support of the towns cultural organizations, environmental resources and natural beauty. From childhood on, she loved the ocean and was a passionate sailor until the end of her life. A self-described adventure traveler, Mrs. Niles has hiked in remote places and climbed mountains on several continents, gone dog sledding across Greenland and run the Grand Canyon in a raft --- and all as a senior citizen. She leaves five children, John Niles of Sarasota, Florida, Katharine N. McLean of South Windsor, Connecticut, Thomas H. Niles of Lexington, Massachusetts, Molly N. Cornell of West Falmouth, Massachusetts and Benjamin L. Niles of South Freeport, Maine; and many grandchildren and great-grandchildren. She was predeceased by her sister, Elizabeth L. Elwell, and twin brother, Halsey B. Loder, Jr. A memorial service will be held on Thursday, Dec. 17, at 3 p.m., at the Old Ship Church, 90 Main Street, Hingham. She has gifted her remains to the Anatomical Gift Program at the University of Massachusetts Medical School. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the Hingham Public Library, Hingham Land Conservation Trust or Old Ship Church, First Parish in Hingham.