Mary Lucille Kirsch

Shelby, Ohio. She had one sister, Frances.

From an early age she showed great aptitude in sewing and music. She began sewing on a child-size machine by sewing clothing for her dolls. Mary evolved into a master seamstress, a talent that remained until the end of her life. She began singing in church choirs at age 14 and continued doing so up to the last week of her life. Mary met the love of her life, David Kirsch, at 4-H camp when they were 16 and they married in 1949. They had three children, Jeff born in 1951, Susan born in 1953 and Cynthia born in 1956. Throughout her life she excelled in organizational and secretarial skills.

At her last position at the University of Arizona Optical Sciences department, she began as a secretary and was eventually promoted to business manager. Mary loved volunteering and helping others and was quick to make friends. She was very active in church and served in many ways. Mary excelled at crafts and taught herself to knit and made gifts of afghans to many family and friends. She also loved to travel. She and her husband traveled the US in their motorhome even beyond to Canada and Mexico. At other times she and made two trips to South America and three to Hawaii. Not one to be idle, after David’s passing in 2000, she began ballroom and tap dancing and joined a senior ladies dance troupe, Tap Sensations.

Mary leaves behind three children and their spouses, Jeff Kirsch (Jackie Spellman) of Palm

Springs, California, Susan Hill (David) of Mansfield, Ohio and Cynthia Mangum (William) of

Tucker, Georgia, her sister Frances Haverfield, two grandchildren, and one great-grandchild. She also leaves behind special friend Duane High. Mary will be greatly missed by all.