Dr. Mary Pucci Couchman

Dr. Mary Pucci Couchman, retired physician and educator, passed away surrounded by a portion of her beloved family at the residence of her son, Dr. Glen Couchman, in Temple, Texas in the early morning hours of September 20. She was the wife of Dr. Phillip Gerald Couchman, physician and educator, who preceded her in death on August 15, 1998. Dr. Couchman was born in Folly Cove, Rockport on December 23, 1922, to the late Paola (Sodini) Pucci and Emilio Pucci, both born in villages near Lucca, Italy. She was a graduate of Rockport High School, Simmons College, and Yale University College of Medicine, class of 1949. She was a member of the American Academy of Pediatrics. Dr. Couchman and her husband met as students at Yale and were married on November 20, 1948 in Branford, Connecticut. They practiced medicine together in Mount Pleasant, Iowa, for more than 20 years, and were founding members of the Department of Family Practice in the College of Medicine at the University of Iowa where Dr. Mary held a joint appointment with the Pediatrics Department. She enjoyed both clinical practice and teaching, and was awarded the Teacher of the Year award by the medical students in 1974. She also accomplished, with great heart, skill, and the judicious recruitment of friends and family, the difficult task of raising three children while providing high quality medical care to her patients in Southeast and South Central Iowa. Dr. Couchman and her husband retired to Rockport, Massachussetts in 1987, where she participated for a number of years in the Sandy Bay Historical Society and the Rockport Garden Club, two organizations (among the many she supported) which allowed her to express her ongoing love of local history and stewardship of nature. She thoroughly enjoyed the company of her extensive network of family and friends. She was a virtuoso in the great Italian art of the Veglia, a combination of extended feast and storytelling. Following a serious stroke in 2009, she relocated to Texas for part of each year, living with her devoted son and daughter-in-law, Heidi. For the past year, she has been part of a vibrant community of retirees, living in her own apartment at an assisted living community known as the Meridian - where she recently successfully lobbied for the initiation of Spanish language classes. She has always returned each summer to her cherished Cape Ann. Dr Couchman was preceded in death by her two sisters, Amelia Pucci and Edith (Pucci) Movalli, and two brothers, Angelo / John and Alberto / Robert Pucci. She is survived by her children, Edith Pucci Couchman of Hollis, NH, Dr. Glen Renaldo Couchman and his wife, Heidi (Schlieter) Couchman of Temple Texas, Sara Mafalda Golden and her husband, The Honorable Duane Golden of Des Moines, Iowa; nine grandchildren: Maya Levine, Washington, D. C.; Dr. Phillip Levine, Temple, TX; Julianna Couchman, Austin, TX; Laura Couchman, Houston, TX, Alex Grismore, Madison, WI, Veronika Golden, Idaho Falls, ID, William Golden, Des Moines, IA, and Grant Golden, Ames, Iowa; and her large Cape Ann family which includes nieces Sophia Parady, Pauline Jones and nephews Arthur, Richard, Robert, John, David and James Movalli, and all their families, and many dear friends too innumerable to list. A memorial service will be held at St Francis Episcopal Church, 5001 Hickory Rd, Temple, Tx, on Wednesday, September 24th, at 11 AM. There will be no visiting hours. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made in her memory to Baylor Scott and While Health-Central Texas Division or St Francis Episcopal Church.