Mary Agnes McChesney

Mary A. McChesney (July 17, 1920 – November 29, 2020) was born in Buffalo NY and raised in the small town of East Aurora NY, along with her older brother and sister, Zolton and Esther, who have both preceded her in death. Mary and her siblings were the first generation Americans in their family. Her parents, David Lengyel and Mary Varga Lengyel immigrated from Austria/Hungary through Ellis Island in search of a better way of life in the U.S.

She met her future husband, William “Bill” McChesney, at the Baptist church in East Aurora, and they were married in February 1941. During WWII, she worked in the war plane assembly plant. Following the War, she and Bill moved to Phoenix AZ, where Mary attended Beauty school and started a career which extended over thirty years.

She and Bill attended the First Baptist Church of Phoenix, where they both sang in the church choir. Over the following years, Mary served on the Deaconess Board, the Floral Committee, the Bereavement Committee, and was active in the American Baptist Women of Arizona. Bill passed away in October 1993, after 52 years of marriage. The First Baptist Church of Phoenix became the Living Streams Church in 2007.

On July 17, 2020, Mary celebrated her 100th birthday. Since we were in the midst of the Coronavirus pandemic, her family requested that friends and relatives send birthday cards. She was amazed at the number of cards she received. It was truly a joyous occasion. In late October, her physical condition declined, and on Sunday, November 29, she graduated to her Eternal Home with Jesus.

She is survived by her daughters, Sandra K. Richmond and Dianne L. McChesney; her grandson, Jedidiah J. Richmond; and her great-grandson, Joel N. Richmond. Surviving relatives on Bill McChesney’s side include nephews Ben (Rosemary) Conrady and Gene (Joyce) Conrady and many great nieces and nephews.

The family requests that in lieu of flowers donations be made to Living Streams Church, 7000 N. Central Ave, Phoenix AZ 85021. Condolences can be posted on the Greenwood Memory Lawn website, www.GreenwoodMemoryLawn.com. Due to the pandemic, graveside services will be limited to the family members on December 29, 2020.