SHOEMAKER, MARY LUCRETIA of South Boston, Massachusetts, and Palermo, New Jersey, died peacefully on November 3rd from cancer after a persistent and determined fight. She was preceded in death by her partner of 30 years, Francis Mac Cormack, of South Boston, and by her brother, Edward Shoemaker, of Natick.
Mary Lu leaves her Shoemaker family: sister-in-law Sally, nephew Edward and his wife, and niece Sarah and her family; her cousin Ann Matheson and her family; and her long-time friends. Mary Lu is also survived by her “special niece,” Margaret Pelton, of South Boston, Massachusetts, with whom she lived for 27 years, who was a support and advocate for her throughout her long health battles.
She was born in Pottstown, Pennsylvania, and resided in nearby Devon in her youth. Mary Lu attended the Georgetown School and earned a BA from Wheaton College in Norton, Massachusetts, where she majored in mathematics and music, and where she sang in the choir and with a select small group of musicians.
After graduation Mary Lu began working at what became Verizon, achieving a level that few women did at the time as a project manager negotiating contracts. While living in Cambridge she studied voice and also sang with Daniel Pinkham and the choir at the Park Street Church as well as at various concert venues in the city, blending her rich contralto voice with others in the group.
Later she moved to South Boston to be with her longtime partner, Frank, where they enjoyed sailing, traveling to Scotland, living near the water, and their various pets.
After Frank’s passing, Mary Lu shared their South Boston residence with Frank’s niece Margie and continued her love of travel to Ireland among other places, re-designing spaces in the house, and shopping with Margie. Mary Lu cherished her dogs and cats, and she enjoyed cooking, especially using the recipes of Julia Child. She was an avid reader, and did the daily crossword in the Globe and the Sunday puzzle in the New York Times. She loved the peace and beauty of the Cape May area, and she particularly enjoyed penuche fudge, scotch old fashions, and cashmere.
With a special thank you to Richard Pelton and Steven Pope for their much-appreciated assistance during the later years of her life. Anything Auntie needed or wanted was made possible.
Relatives and friends are kindly invited to aRend visiting hours at The Casper Funeral Home, 187 Dorchester Street, South Boston Thursday, Nov 11, from 4:00-8:00P.M. A Quaker services will held Friday in the Chapel of Cedar Grove Cemetery, 920 Adams Street, Dorchester at 10:00 a.m. Followed by Interment.