Mary P. Hamel, age 86, of Nottingham, New Hampshire and more recently of Vestavia Hills, Alabama, passed away at Meadow Brook Extended Care in Birmingham, Alabama, on May 11 after a short battle with cancer. Mary was born on August 25, 1925, in Lawrence, Massachusetts. She was the daughter of the late Sophie (Halatka) and John Dmytrow of Galicia, Austria, and was preceded in death by Walter, her husband of 56 years.
Mary is survived by her sister, Helen Borysek of Lawrence; two daughters, Audrey and husband Stephen Colson of Vestavia Hills, Alabama, and Melanie and husband Donald Caspary of Springfield, Illinois; a grandson, Mark Caspary of Springfield, Illinois; and a granddaughter, Stephanie Colson of Los Angeles, California. In addition, she is survived by three step-grandsons, Stephen and wife Crystal Colson Jr. of Savannah, Georgia, and Erick and Steven Caspary, both of Springfield, Illinois; a great grandson, Stephen Colson III of Savannah, Georgia; a special nephew, Thomas Borysek of Chicago, Illinois; a special niece, Marlene and husband Richard Croteau of Lawrence; and other nieces and nephews.
Mary served as a Sunshine Lady and former President of the Nottingham Women’s Club. As a young adult, she worked in the Lawrence mills making shoes and later was bookkeeper for the Walter Hamel Construction Company. Most of all, she was a wonderfully caring mother to her daughters and a dedicated, supportive wife to Walter. Her positive attitude as an eternal optimist, who loved to tell jokes and speak of positive things, endeared her to everyone who knew her and helped her through three battles with cancer.
Mary, an avid reader of contemporary novels across genres, loved sewing, cooking, dancing and polkas; and was known for her gifts of world class raisin squares, hermit cookies and butter crunch brittle. She always thought of others and forever will be remembered as a special, wonderful lady.
Graveside services will be held Saturday, May 19, at 11:00 a.m. in St. Peter and Paul Cemetery on the grounds of St. Xenia Orthodox Church in Methuen, Massachusetts.