NATICK: Mary L. Latour, 99, a lifelong resident of Natick died peacefully in her home on October 29, 2016, of old age.
Mary was the only child of the late Charles and Ellen (Hoey) Latour. Mary was born and lived her entire life in her home on North Pleasant Street, graduating from Natick High School in 1935 and the Chandler Secretarial School in Boston in 1937.
Mary was employed with Leonard Morse Hospital in Natick in its Accounting office for 54 years, having never missed a day of work. When Mary had her gall bladder removed in her middle years, in the hospital where she worked, Mary had her colleagues bring her work to her because she said, ‘There was no sense just lying there doing nothing.’ Mary holds the service record at the Hospital (and there is a plaque on the wall commemorating this distinction) and it is unlikely her record will ever be surpassed. After Mary retired at age 75, she continued to volunteer at the Hospital for the next 20 years assembling and delivering payroll every other Friday. She was known by every single staff member. Mary would have continued this work today had the system not been automated.
Mary gave generously of her Tuesdays for the past 22 years at St. Patrick’s Manor in Framingham where she helped out in the gift shop and played cribbage with the residents, most of whom were younger than she.
Mary was devoted to her faith, and her friends and family delighted in her sharp mind, rapier wit and unwavering loyalty. She traveled extensively in her younger years enjoying many trips around our great nation and a variety of international excursions including passage on both the Queen Elizabeth I and II. No one could do the daily crossword puzzle faster than our gal. She could recite the U.S. Presidents in order and the state capitals alphabetically (by city!) She was a whiz at Jeopardy. She read nearly every work of fiction at the Morse Institute Library. Mary loved all sports and followed the Patriots and Red Sox with gusto even recently traveling to Fenway Park with good friends. She loved adventures to museums and tea at the Ritz, birthday dinners at restaurants older than she, and being included in holidays and celebrations of the families of her dear friends. She was extremely generous with donations to many wonderful causes, most notably helping animals in need. She had the most delicate cursive writing.
She made us laugh with her plethora of witticisms including our favorite: “Too bad she died; she made good donuts.”
She was an independent and hard-working career woman ahead of her time. She wore a dress and heels each and every day, even to shovel her driveway. She will be terribly missed by a host of friends.
Having never married or had children, Mary used to joke that she never changed her name OR her address. She was born, lived and died in the same home.
Relatives and friends are invited to gather and pay respects at the John Everett & Sons Funeral Home, 4 Park Street at Natick Common on Wednesday, November 2nd at 9:00 a.m. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated in Saint Patrick’s Church at 10:00 a.m. Interment will follow at Saint Patrick Cemetery, Pond Street, Natick.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Mary’s memory to Saint Patrick’s Church, 44 East Central Street, Natick, MA 01760.