What I remember about Mary is her ability to convince others what she herself knew and that was her handicap would not stop her from doing whatever she-not society, was capable of doing. Many times she combined that ability with her other strength, an incredible sense of humor. I was, at least 2 times, the recipient of that humor. Mary taught me a life lesson in the first instance, then put me to the test in the second.
One day I missed the bus home and Mary offered me a ride. After asking her if her Mom would mind driving me and she said “no” I accepted. We got in the car, Mary in the drivers seat, and I asked “where's your Mom?” Mary replied “she's not here I'm driving.” Naive, dense or stupid, I burst out laughing and said “no really, where's your Mom?”. Mary showed me how the car was set up so she could drive and brake with her hands and didn't need her legs. I still thought it was a colossal joke until she started the motor and we headed out. As I exited the car at home, she burst out laughing. I thanked her and that was that. Several weeks later she asked if I wanted to go with her to do some errands for her Mom and off we went. Mary wasn't about to let me off the hook on thinking she couldn't drive and the next thing I knew we were on Rte 9 heading to Rte128. Once on 128 she gunned that car until I finally yelled out “OK-You can drive just get me there in one piece.” She slowed down(just a bit). She never let me forget it but I went a lot of places with her after that and we always had a good laugh.
I did a lot of research, asked some people for help but cannot find when Mary passed away but I had noted in my Advocate that she married Robert Norton (also class of 65 and also deceased) in July 1969. I hope they had great years together and that Mary continues to make people re-think “who can do what” while making them laugh and if she were still with us I'd be begging her to work with me and the wounded warriors.
Leslea Jenkins (Sennott)
What I remember about Mary is her ability to convince others what she herself knew and that was her handicap would not stop her from doing whatever she-not society, was capable of doing. Many times she combined that ability with her other strength, an incredible sense of humor. I was, at least 2 times, the recipient of that humor. Mary taught me a life lesson in the first instance, then put me to the test in the second.
One day I missed the bus home and Mary offered me a ride. After asking her if her Mom would mind driving me and she said “no” I accepted. We got in the car, Mary in the drivers seat, and I asked “where's your Mom?” Mary replied “she's not here I'm driving.” Naive, dense or stupid, I burst out laughing and said “no really, where's your Mom?”. Mary showed me how the car was set up so she could drive and brake with her hands and didn't need her legs. I still thought it was a colossal joke until she started the motor and we headed out. As I exited the car at home, she burst out laughing. I thanked her and that was that. Several weeks later she asked if I wanted to go with her to do some errands for her Mom and off we went. Mary wasn't about to let me off the hook on thinking she couldn't drive and the next thing I knew we were on Rte 9 heading to Rte128. Once on 128 she gunned that car until I finally yelled out “OK-You can drive just get me there in one piece.” She slowed down(just a bit). She never let me forget it but I went a lot of places with her after that and we always had a good laugh.
I did a lot of research, asked some people for help but cannot find when Mary passed away but I had noted in my Advocate that she married Robert Norton (also class of 65 and also deceased) in July 1969. I hope they had great years together and that Mary continues to make people re-think “who can do what” while making them laugh and if she were still with us I'd be begging her to work with me and the wounded warriors.
Leslea Jenkins