Mary Alice Widener

Mary Alice Widener, recently of Phoenix, Arizona, passed peacefully on June 27th, 2018, at her place of residence at Huger Mercy Living Center. Mary Alice was born in East Liverpool, Ohio, on March 3, 1923. After working at Bethlehem Steel in Pennsylvania, she joined the US Navy, where she was proud to be a WAVE for two years. She and her husband, Newton F. Widener, Jr., met in the Navy, married in January, 1946, and enjoyed 50 years of marriage. In 1977, they moved to Prescott, Arizona, where Mary Alice participated in several activities, including bowling, horseback riding and playing Bridge. She was preceded in death by her parents, Alan Earl and Mary Edwards, three brothers, Bill, Frank and Robert, and a sister, Amanda.

Mary Alice was loved by many close friends in several states, having made friendships through traveling in the United States and Italy. She loved her family more than anything, and leaves behind a son, Michael F. Widener of Phoenix and his wife, Peggy, as well as granddaughters Emily, Alison and Victoria, who were her frequent companions during her last years. Her daughter, Martha, and spouse Richard, reside in Atlanta, GA; their children Mark, Matthew, Michael, Maria, Mary Catherine and Caitlin shared love generously and enthusiastically with their grandmother whenever possible. Mary Alice also was proud of her eleven great-grandchildren, Kelly, Isaiah, Jayden, Joshua, Rosa, Lenny, Kolbe, Theo, Oliver, Mack, and Orion, and two great- great-grandchildren, Kyleigh and Tre.

Mary Alice had several hobbies, including gardening, making crafts, creating crewel embroidery pictures and latch hook art, reading and listening to her favorite singers, Frank Sinatra, Bing Crosby, Harry Connick, Jr., Rosemary Clooney and Sammy Davis, Jr. She loved to accompany these crooners by singing aloud any time their recordings were audible around her home. She will be remembered for her great sense of humor, as well as her generosity and kindness toward others, devotedly keeping in touch with family and friends through writing letters and cards.

The family requests that in lieu of sending flowers, anyone who wants to honor Mary Alice and her family, please make a donation to the St. Vincent de Paul Society or Habitat for Humanity, Central Arizona or Atlanta, GA.