Mary (Foody) Spain passed away in the early hours of September 25, 2022 in Arlington, Texas, USA after 75 years of adventurous, generous, and meaningful life. Her loving husband, William (Bill) Spain, was by her side.
Born in 1947, near Durham, England, Mary grew up with her sister, Helen, and her four brothers: Peter, Tom, Michael, and John. Mary was a straight-A student and her love for doing her best extended to playing chess, cards, and other games. After university, she served in Malawi with the British Volunteers Abroad where she taught elementary school students. Her life changed forever when she met and later married Bill, a Peace Corps volunteer. Across oceans and continents, through seven decades, they wrote a love story for all time.
Mary’s commitment to helping others guided her career. She earned a Masters in Social Work and was a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and a Licensed Chemical Dependency Counselor, helping people recover from drug and alcohol addiction as Director of Shepherd Hill Rehabilitation Center, a nationally accredited treatment center in Newark, Ohio. She later worked in children’s mental health at Nationwide Children’s Hospital in Columbus, Ohio.
Mary was a beloved mother to two daughters, Sarah Spain Shelton and Anna Spain Bradley, both of whom carry on her commitment to service. Sarah is Chief of Psychology at North Texas VA Medical Center and an Associate Professor in the Department of Psychiatry at the UT Southwestern Medical Center. Anna is Vice Chancellor for Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion and Professor of Law at UCLA.
After retirement, Mary enjoyed making new friends and playing pickleball at the recreation center in Boulder, CO (2013-20) and then in Arlington, TX (2020-22). She adored visiting dear family and friends in Gibraltar and in the UK. She and Bill travelled widely—to Morocco, Greece, Mexico, and beyond—always keeping their family on their toes. Most of all, she adored spending time with her four granddaughters: Layla, Chloe, Ava and Amaya.
Mary Spain was an incredibly generous and loving soul. Charity was at the center of her life, as was simplicity. She believed in “getting on with it”—whatever it may be—without a fuss. She is dearly loved by all who survive her. In honor of Mary’s life and work, and in lieu of flowers, the family asks that you consider a donation to the Malawi Children’s Village.
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