Mary C. West

TOWNSEND; Mary Cobb (Rowse) West, 100, of Townsend, died Tuesday, June 13, 2023 at her home just 2 weeks shy of her 101st birthday. Mary was born in Boston, June 30, 1922, the daughter of Arthur E. Rowse, Jr. and Marion (Cobb) Rowse and has resided in Townsend for seventy three years. Mary grew up in Lexington, MA and attended Ashley Hall School in Charleston, South Carolina and Concord Academy. She cared deeply about the Townsend community and took her civic responsibility seriously. She was a member of the Townsend Congregational Church, Townsend Historical Society, Townsend Couples Club, and Townsend Women’s Club, as well as being a literacy volunteer, Girl Scout volunteer, and often worked the polls at election time. Mary and her husband, Ed, loved early American history and had fun experimenting with early American arts and caring for their 18th century farmhouse. She enjoyed baking bread, making candles, painting tinware, making home-made root beer, knitting and sewing. She and Ed were committed to preserving Townsend history through the Townsend Historical Society. Mary loved children and children’s education. Many years ago she taught kindergarten in the Exeter, NH, and Northborough, MA school systems. Soon after arriving in Townsend, she helped start the Townsend Community Cooperative Kindergarten. For ten years, she worked as a substitute teacher at Spaulding Memorial School, making lifelong friends with many of the teachers. She dearly loved her five children, Carolyn R. “Carrie” West; Edwin S. “Ted” West, Jr. and his wife Lydia; M. Susan West and her husband Scott Andrews; Virginia B. “Ginny” West and her husband Kevin Crisman; Andrew J. West and his wife, Kristen. She adored her ten grandchildren and five great grandchildren. Her sweetheart and husband of 71 years, Edwin S. West, died in August 2019. Her surviving brother, Arthur E. (Ted) Rowse III, aged 103 of Chevy Chase, MD, loved having Mary in his life and misses her deeply. Her brother Robert M. Rowse was killed in action in Germany during the last days of World War II. The family wishes to express their gratitude to Adelaide Sackey and Gina Amankwhah, her devoted caregivers, as well as the many wonderful friends who filled her life with joy. Calling hour will be 10am-11:30 am Saturday, June 24, 2023 at the Townsend Congregational Church, 3 Brookline Street, Townsend. Mary’s funeral service will be held at 11:30 am Saturday, June 24, 2023 at the Townsend Congregational Church, 3 Brookline Street, Townsend. Interment will follow at Hillside Cemetery, Townsend. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to the Townsend Historical Society. To view a recording of Mary's Funeral Mass, please click the following link: https://my.gather.app/remember/mary-c-west www.andersonfuneral.com.

Tributes

Mary C. West

June 30, 1922 - June 13, 2023