Mary Manning Pepin, 72, of Fairhaven, died on September 29, 2009. At the time she was traveling in England with her beloved husband of 48 years, Richard L. Pepin.
Born in New Bedford, she was the daughter of the late Richard H. Manning Jr. and Mary "Mae" (Sweeney) Manning. She resided in Verona, NJ for 33 years and returned to Massachusetts upon her retirement.
Mary graduated from Holy Family High School, the University of Massachusetts at Amherst, and received her Masters Degree from Bridgewater State College. She worked as a high school teacher and guidance counselor throughout her career. She loved helping young people realize their potential and plan their futures. Mary was also active in her church through the Cursillo movement and the Parish Council, and in the Catboat Association and the National Park Service.
Mary loved to travel, taking regular trips abroad with her husband. She was also an avid sailor, sharing the helm with her husband on their many cruises off the New England coast over several decades.
Mary's happiest times were when she was with her family, especially her three beloved grandchildren. She is survived by her husband, Richard L. Pepin; her daughter Joan Pepin, son-in-law Michael Woods, and their children Caroline, Richard and Charlie of Arlington, VA; her sister and best friend Joan Sylvia and brother-in-law Norman Sylvia of Fairhaven; her niece Anne Gardner and husband Scott Gardner of Durham, NC; her nephew Timothy Sylvia and wife Mary Catherine Cross of Ellicott City, MD; her aunt Mary Manning Kelley; five grand nephews and numerous cousins. She will be greatly missed.
Her Memorial Mass will be celebrated on Tuesday at 10 AM at Holy Name of the Sacred Heart of Jesus Church, 121 Mt. Pleasant St., New Bedford. Burial will follow in St. Mary's Cemetery. Visiting hours will be on Monday from 4-7 PM at the Saunders-Dwyer Mattapoisett Home for Funerals, 50 County Rd., Route 6, Mattapoisett. In lieu of flowers, donations may be sent to The Cape and Islands National Public Radio Station, P.O. Box 82, Woods Hole, MA 02543. For directions and guestbook, please visit www.saundersdwyer.com.