Molly Payne Mott was born December 5, 1928, in Toledo, Ohio to Alice Loomis and Franklyn J. Payne. She passed away peacefully on January 6, 2026, at Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital in Needham, Massachusetts. She had two brothers, Franklin James Payne and Robert Wilson Payne, both deceased. She grew up in Alburg Springs, Vermont where she met her late husband Charles L. Mott, and the pair married in Burlington, Vermont. They raised two daughters, Sarah Mott Horgan, and Julia (“Julie”) Mott Toulmin. In addition to her daughters, Molly is survived by six grandchildren: Brendan Horgan, Stuart Horgan, Emma Horgan Fanning, Colin Horgan, Hugh Richardson Toulmin, Charles (“Hans”) Hansell Toulmin, and three great grandchildren: Althea Horgan, Charlie Horgan, and Lou Fanning.
Molly graduated from Northfield School for Girls and attended Mount Holyoke College, both in Massachusetts. She received a master’s degree in education from the University of Toledo in Ohio and was a schoolteacher and principal for most of her career. Right out of college, Molly became a paralegal at a time when it was uncommon for a woman to receive this opportunity. Throughout her life, Molly continued to support and encourage women to follow their own intellectual and professional pathways. She was an easy conversationalist and a good listener. Her keen intellect, quick wit, ready smile, and sense of humor made everyone value time with her. She lived happily at North Hill in Needham, Massachusetts for sixteen years.
The family will have a private memorial service. In lieu of flowers, contributions in memory of Molly Mott may be made to cardiology at the at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center by visiting www.bidmc.org/giving