Mary Elizabeth Moody (b. Lockett) passed away on February 15, 2018 at the age of ninety-seven. A memorial service will be held at Holy Trinity Episcopal Church, Wenonah, NJ, on March 10, 2018 at 11:00AM.
Mary was born on January 1, 1921 in Woodbury, New Jersey. In 1941 she married the love of her life, Theodore James Moody and they shared sixty-nine years together. They had two daughters, Veronica (Hughes) and Delores (Thomas). Living in Woodbury until 1983, Mary and her husband enjoyed an active life. She and her husband, Ted, were both strong civil rights advocates, active church members, and Mary also served as a Girl Scout leader. They enjoyed traveling and camping with their daughters and grandchildren and were fortunate to have traveled throughout the United States as well as Europe, the Caribbean and the Holy Land.
Mary attended Woodbury High School where she was an outstanding athlete in field hockey, basketball, and tennis. She maintains one of the highest scoring records for a single field hockey game at thirteen goals. In 1981, she was awarded the Bea Thomas Distinguished Service Award by the Field Hockey Club of South Jersey. In 1997 she was inducted into the Gloucester County Athletic Hall of Fame and in 2010 into the Woodbury High School Hall of Fame. Most recently, she was honored by her alma mater, Woodbury High School at a program called “Sitting at the Feet of Our Elders” where at ninety-six years old she urged all students in attendance to pursue higher education.
A lover of music, Mary sang in her high school choir, church choirs, college choral group and the renowned Woodbury Choral Society. Many remember her marvelous soprano voice. During her last days, she still sang her favorite hymns and spirituals. Two days before she died she was heard to sing the words and melody to the popular song, Unchained Melody.
After graduating from Woodbury High School, she attended Temple University, Glassboro State(Rowan) and Gloucester County Community College where she received her associate’s degree. At her graduation she received the Gloucester County College President’s Medallion for Excellence in Music.
Mary worked at RCA for many years and then left the company to pursue a career in social work in mental health with the State of New Jersey where she was promoted to Assistant Social Worker Supervisor. Retiring from this position in 1983, Mary and her husband moved to St. Petersburg, Florida where they lived happily until Ted’s death in 2010.
Their love of the water and tranquility of the beaches and parks in St. Petersburg made it an ideal retirement location where they enjoyed family and friends. Their church home in St. Petersburg was Saint Matthew Episcopal church where Mary was a member of the choir, Christian Social Concern Committee and ECW. Maintaining her interest in community, Mary participated in the Neighborhood Crime Watch, served Meals on Wheels and worked as a volunteer for Pinellas County Association for Retarded Children and Perkins Elementary School.
Following her husband’s death in 2010, Mary returned to Woodbury, New Jersey to be near family and friends. She enjoyed a rich and active life at her home at the Woodbury Mews Assisted Living. She made many friends among staff and residents and participated in as many activities as possible until her death.
She is survived by her daughters, Veronica Hughes(William) and Delores Thomas, her brother, Howard Lockett(Elizabeth) and two granddaughters, Lynnly Jackson( Albert) and Samone DeShields (Lamont), cousin, Esther Sanders, great grandchildren, Taylor, Jazmin, Janaie, and Nevaeh and loving nieces and nephews.
In lieu of flowers, the family respectfully suggests donations in Mary E. Moody’s memory to Holy Trinity Episcopal Church, 11 N. Monroe Avenue, Wenonah, NJ 08090.
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