Mary Ellen Cameron

A loyal and loving mother, wife, sister, GrandMary, friend, community advocate and life of the party.

Born in Chicago, IL on June 24, 1953, to Jean VanPatten Deering and John Leroy Deering. Mary was preceded in death by her loving husband, Donald Alan Cameron, her parents and a handful of other loved ones.

Mary is survived by her daughter, Erin Cameron (Fred Doheny); sister, Kathleen Kalish (Robert); nephews Kent Kalish (Nadia) and Kevin Kalish (Justyna); great-nephews, Matthew and Jackson Kalish. Mary is also survived by 5 step-children; son Donald (Tirza) Cameron; daughters, Susan (Rick Coder), Kelly (Jeff Novotny), Tracy (Don Cook) and Amy (Chris Cruz). She was GrandMary to many; Frederick Doheny IV; Beth, Sean, Patrick and Annie Coder; Megan, A.J. and Emma Sue Novotny; Stephanie (Jeremy Meizlish), Taylor and Donnie (Maddy) Cameron; Matthew (Meghan), Chelsea (Todd Junge), McKenzie and Connor Cook; Jesse and Skylar Cruz.

Mary was a devout Catholic her whole life, starting at St. Catherine's of Sienna parish and schools. Not wanting to follow a traditional career path for a woman at that time, she earned a Business Administration degree from Wilbur Wright College. Mary then went on to work for the Teamsters, which provided a bounty of material for endless stories that she loved to share. While with the Teamsters, Mary met some of her very best friends along with the love of her life, Don, which brought her to Ohio.

Mary and Don built a vibrant life together in Ohio characterized by close friendships, love of family, community service and a zest for life that was contagious. She cherished her time with those she loved, including friendships forged at Little Turtle Country Club, her New Albany neighborhood, New Albany Country Club, Church of the Resurrection and New Albany Schools.

Mary was a proud mom and described daughter Erin as her "heart and soul." Immediately dubbed "GrandMary" by her family, as grandma simply wasn't fitting, she was overjoyed to welcome the newest member of the Cameron Clan this fall, Erin's first son little Freddy, who snuggled right up to her and took his place in her lap. Don was the head of the Cameron Clan but Mary was the heartbeat and spirit.

Mary was deeply committed to her community and to organizations that bring people together. She was a founding member of the New Albany Women's Network, Member of the Board of the New Albany Walking Classic, Member of the Board of the New Albany Arts Council, and President of the Rotary Club of New Albany. She was a devoted long-term volunteer leader for many events including The New Albany Invitational Grand Prix & Family Day, The New Albany Community Foundation's Remarkable Evening, The Homeless Families Foundation and The Walking Classic, where she could usually be found at the finish line greeting walkers and passing out medals with a smile.

For the past 14 years Mary has been the Administrative Assistant and Community Liaison of The Jeanne B. McCoy Community Center for the Arts in New Albany, a role she was meant to play given her warmth and charm. Thousands of people have attended programs at The McCoy over the years and it would not be an overstatement to say Mary knew most of them. And if she didn't know you, she made you feel like she did.

Mary was first diagnosed with breast cancer in 1998 and again a few years later. For over 20 years Mary had been a breast cancer survivor and dedicated countless hours to helping others in their fight against this terrible disease. In July of 2021, Mary's cancer returned, metastasized and with a vengeance. Mary fought with grace and strength for much longer than medical professionals had anticipated until she passed peacefully surrounded by those that loved her most.

The family will receive friends from 2-4 and 6-8 p.m. on Wednesday, January 26 at Schoedinger Northeast Chapel, 1051 E. Johnstown Road, Gahanna. A Funeral Mass will be held Thursday, January 27 at 11a.m. at Church of the Resurrection, 6300 E. Dublin-Granville Road, with burial following immediately at Maplewood Cemetery in New Albany. A Celebration of Life gathering with refreshments and small bites, will occur from 1-4 p.m. with a short program starting at 2:00 p.m. at the Jeanne B. McCoy Community Center for the Arts, 100 West Dublin Granville Road, New Albany.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that gifts be made to one of the following organizations on Mary's behalf: The Clan Cameron Fund at The New Albany Community Foundation , The Rotary Club of New Albany or The Stefanie Spielman Fund for Patient Assistance .