Mary Z. Olmsted

Chatham, MA – Mary Zisette Olmsted, 81, passed away October 23, 2015 following a courageous battle with Parkinson’s Disease. She was born in Cincinnati November 2, 1933, then home became Bryn Mawr, PA, educated at Miss Porter’s School and graduated from Smith College in 1955, BA, Mathematics. At school and college she played many sports and captained some teams.

For several years she worked for IBM in Boston. She was Systems Service Engineer during the “punch card” era of computer history. She married George Olmsted in 1958 and raised three children, Stephen, Mary (Wyatt) and James, all born in Bryn Mawr, then grew up mostly in Wayland, MA. Mary attended graduate school in Accounting and shared that talent with small businesses, not-for-profits and individuals (taxes) for many years in Wayland, Weston and Chatham.

Always Mary was a talented athlete and a great sport. In school and college she played field hockey and lacrosse. Later she’d be found on a tennis court, a platform tennis court, a ski trail, a racing sail boat, and golf courses all over Massachusetts and elsewhere. Unforgettable experiences were 3 Club Championships and 2 holes-in-one. Home courses were Merion Golf Club, Weston Golf Club and Eastward Ho! She was proud of her many years of service on the Board of Women’s Golf Association of Massachusetts. She loved wonderful trips: hiking, camping, rafting, horseback, sailing, skiing, and traveling the world with family and with friends.

During retirement years in Chatham, she gave back to the community: serving local committees (Chatham Land Bank, League Club of Cape Cod, Eldredge Public Library, Old Village Association), not-for-profit organizations (Board of Governors and several committees at Eastward Ho! and many responsibilities at St. Christopher’s Church). She played high-level bridge around the Cape, making many new friendships at the card table.

She is survived by George, husband for almost 58 years, and by two sons, Stephen of Dartmouth, MA (Gary), James of Winchester, MA (Ann), and a daughter Mary O. Wyatt of Bedford, NH (Ken), and five grandchildren Molly, Sophie, and Mason Olmsted and James and Caroline Wyatt. Mary loved the many times she spent with all of them.

Broad Reach Hospice and Palliative Care and Visiting Angel Yaw Sarfo provided the best possible home health care.

A memorial service will be held on Saturday, October 31, 2015 at 11:00 AM at St. Christopher’s Church, Chatham. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to St. Christopher’s Episcopal Church, 625 Main Street, Chatham, MA 02633.

For online condolences, please visit www.nickersonfunerals.com.