Mary Ellen born in the Bronx, the daughter of James and Helen Scanlan. She loved to travel, shortly after her birth she and her mother rode the train from NYC to California to visit her dad, who was a Naval Officer serving in the Pacific.
In 1950, she moved to Hillsdale where she made lifelong friends on Conklin Avenue, at St. Andrews School in Westwood, and Holy Angels Academy Class of 1960. She went on to study at Chestnut Hill College Class of 1964. Mary, an excellent student then entered the University of Rhode Island earning a Ph.D. in Chemistry. With a degree in hand, she began a long and successful career with the American Chemical Society in Columbus, Ohio and Washington, D.C retiring as a Senior Vice President.
After retiring, she moved to Cedar Crest Village where Mary made many good friends, playing bridge, going to shows and partaking in many lively conversations. She often would take a break to travel (she loved to travel), literally around the world.
Mary was known for her persistence, independence and generosity. If you knew her you already know that!
She was predeceased by her sister Anne McCrory and her husband Michael McCrory. She is survived by her brother James, his wife Nareerat, her nephew James McCrory, his wife Joanna and their children James Patrick and Emilia Kate, and her cousins the McKeons and the Burns.
There will be a Memorial Mass held at St. John the Baptist Roman Catholic Church, 69 Valley Street, Hillsdale, NJ 07642, on March 20, 2026, at 10:00 am.
In lieu of flowers, donations to St. Johns in Hillsdale or the Hillsdale Public Library would be appreciated.
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