DARTMOUTH — Mary (Irwin) Stedman, 88, of South Dartmouth, died on Monday, April 26, 2010, after a brief illness. She was the wife of the late William E. Stedman, who died in 1993.
The daughter of the late Robert F. and Keturah (Smucker) Irwin, she was born in Philadelphia on Nov. 17, 1921. She grew up in Germantown, Pa., with her sister and four brothers and graduated from Germantown Friends School before attending Sarah Lawrence College.
The family spent summers in South Dartmouth, where they belonged to the Salter's Point Association. Here she met William Stedman, and they married on June 27, 1942, at St. Aidan's Chapel while he was serving as a Ensign in the Untied States Navy.
She lived in Newport, R.I., Morristown, N.J., and Philadelphia while her husband was a PT Boat Commander in the Pacific during World War II. The family later lived in Buffalo, N.Y., and Chestnut Hill, Pa., before moving to Dartmouth in 1963.
Mrs. Stedman was the proprietor for more than 20 years of The Village Bookshop in Padanaram. She started the book and stationary store and later operated it with her husband until they sold the business in 1992.
Long active in amateur theater, Mrs. Stedman performed with theater groups in Buffalo, N.Y., and Chestnut Hill, Pa. After moving to Massachusetts, she performed with the Marion Arts Center and Your Theater, but was most notably involved with the Spouters in New Bedford. She played leading roles in numerous Spouters productions, capped by the one-women show, "The Belle of Amherst," in 1979.
An artist, she enjoyed painting still life arrangements and landscapes, and was active many years with the Swain School of New Bedford. A gardener, she belonged to the Buzzards Bay Garden Club and won several awards for her floral arrangements. She appreciated the natural beauty of the area and enjoyed watching the birds at her feeders.
A volunteer, she was active in the First Unitarian Church of New Bedford with her late mother-in-law, Hilda Clifford Stedman. She also volunteered for the American Cancer Society of Philadelphia and the Channel 2 Auction in Boston.
She enjoyed playing tennis and golf as a member of the Nonquitt Association, and she and her husband belonged to a badminton club. An avid fan of crossword puzzles and card games, she played Bridge regularly with friends.
Mrs. Stedman is survived by her two children, Sarah S. Kuhn of Ipswich and William E. Stedman Jr. and his wife, Eileen of Walpole; three grandchildren, Timothy C.S. Kuhn of Ipswich, Caroline H. Stedman and John C. "Jack" Stedman of Walpole; a sister, Keturah (Irwin) Gray and her husband, Morris Gray of Westwood; a brother, Henry Irwin and his wife Chauncey of Westwood; numerous nieces and nephews; and her caregivers who allowed her to live at home in her final year.
She was the sister of the later Robert, Thomas and Richard Irwin.
A memorial gathering will be held for family and friends on Sunday, June 13, 2010, at 12 Noon at 99 DeGaris Avenue, South Dartmouth, Ma.
Donations in her memory can be made to Dartmouth Natural Resources Trust (DNRT), P.O. Box P17, 404 Elm St., Dartmouth, MA 02748