Baxter, Mary Ann (Scannell) 1940 – 2022
Of Mashpee, formerly of Avon, MA and Shepherdstown, WV. Passed away on January 14, 2022.
Mary was the beloved wife of Richard (Dick) Shattuck of Mashpee; loving mother of Dawn Baxter and her husband Spence Smith of Cambridge, Kelly Baxter Spitz and her husband Ken Spitz of Sheffield, and Mark Baxter and his wife Jamie of Easton; and devoted and hilarious grandmother of Mia and Phoebe Smith, Emma Spitz, and Drew and Avery Baxter. She was a favorite aunt of many nieces and nephews.
Mary was born in Boston to the late James and Mildred (Wenger) Scannell, the 5th of 6 siblings. She graduated from Mission High School. After a stint at the Boston Edison, she married C. Thomas (Tom) Baxter, Jr. They settled in Avon where they raised their children and were a vibrant part of their neighborhood community. Mary was mom to every kid on the block and beyond. Her open mind and non-judgmental approach to life made her an important sounding board for those who knew her. Even when she returned to work after her kids were in school, she was always available to lend an ear.
Mary was known for her nurturing ways and razor-sharp wit. Her one-liners were legendary. She had a gift for making everyone feel as if they were her favorite person in the world; not surprisingly, she had many fans. She maintained varied and rich friendships, some of which dated back to her childhood. Mary didn’t do anything halfway. When Tom accepted a job at Shepherd College in 1992, she skeptically moved to West Virginia. After Tom’s death in 1998, Mary discovered that because she had embraced their new life so fully, she wasn’t ready to leave Shepherdstown. She stayed for an additional 7 years on her own before returning to Massachusetts.
Mary met Dick Shattuck while they were neighbors in Mashpee. They married in 2008. This unexpected relationship later in her life brought Mary much happiness and expanded her family to include Rich Shattuck and his wife Teresa of West Virginia and their children Zach and Casey and Nancy Shattuck of Jupiter, Florida. Mary and Dick enjoyed traveling, including trips to Holland, the Canadian Rockies, the Panama Canal, Viejas, Puerto Rico, and their annual winter months in Jupiter.
Mary’s family and friends will remember with love and gratitude her warmth, her wisdom, her independent spirit, and most of all her extraordinary sense of humor, which helped sustain us through all of life’s ups and downs.
Mary was predeceased by her parents; her husband Tom; her brothers James, Gerard, Robert and Joseph Scannell; and her sister Virginia Macdonald.
Relatives and friends are kindly invited to attend visiting hours in the William J. Gormley Funeral Home, 2055 Centre Street WEST ROXBURY on Friday, January 21, 2022 from 3 – 7 pm.
Funeral from the Funeral Home on Saturday January 22 at 8:30 am followed by a Funeral Mass in the Basilica of Our Lady of Perpetual Help “Mission Church” at 10:00. Interment St. Joseph Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Mary’s favorite charity, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital at www.stjude.org.