Mary R. Samburg

Born in Cork City to Daniel Rice and Mary Fenton, Mary was the middle child of 5 siblings. She moved to America when she was 6 years old with her family to join her father who had moved here previously. She attended Albertus Magnus High School subjected to the nuns who taught there. She attended Rockland Community College and received her RN from the Rockland State Hospital School of Nursing. Mary worked as a staff nurse on the pediatric unit of the New York State Psychiatric Institute, where she met her future husband. She was the head nurse of the Psychiatric Unit at Nyack Hospital for 2 years until she moved to New Haven and married Jon, her husband of almost 54 years. Mary worked at Clinton Convalescent Home until her daughter was born and then worked uncompensated in her home.

After having lost a child to Sudden Infant Death Syndrome, along with a couple from Fairfield County, Mary formed the Connecticut SIDS Parent Support Group, doing outreach and counseling with the other SIDS parents. Recognizing a community need, along with Rabbi Doug Sagal, the Reverend Erica Wimber, Holly Goff and a few other people not intentionally left out, Mary formed the local soup kitchen at St. John’s Church in Essex which moved to churches in the tri-town area and which grew to be the Shoreline Soup Kitchen and Pantry. Besides being a hands on volunteer, she was the coordinator of volunteers until this became a paid position at which time she resigned.

Over a period of several years she was the chair of the membership and chair of the house committee of Congregation Beth Shalom of Deep River.

When her son was no longer a toddler, Mary worked as a paraprofessional in the Essex Elementary School and filled in for the school nurse when needed.

Although she had no formal training Mary taught herself about plants and gardens, and it was her passion spending endless hours in her garden. Her knowledge and gardening skills were well known to friends who would drop off almost dead plants to be revived. She happily provided the flowers for her son’s and friends weddings, showers and occasions.

With a friend, Mary had a business doing room rearranging, using only clients existing materials, a skill that her daughter seems to have inherited.

Mary’s sense of humor was as legendary as her language. No one ever met Mary and didn’t walk away saying what a funny woman. She looked at things differently and made jokes about them. However she took seriously the unhappiness and inequalities which she saw in society and was a vocal advocate for remedies, an ethic which her son has pursued. Friends knew Mary had their backs unconditionally and without request.

Mary was predeceased by her brothers John, Jimmie and Pat. She is survived by her husband Jon, her son Mark and grandson Abraham Kline and her daughter Bridget and grandchildren Emmett Tarsy and Hazel Tarsy and her brother Daniel.

Mary was truly loved by those who knew her and will be greatly missed.

In lieu of flowers, if you wish please send a contribution to the children or animal charity of your choice.