Mary Ross ... enjoyed choir singing; at 86

Mary Ross died peacefully Dec. 8, 2023, with her daughters by her side.

Born in Sanford, Maine, March 9, 1937, Mary was the daughter of Thomas and Olive Lunt, and the sister of Elizabeth Knowles, Richard Lunt, Gordon Lunt, and Brian Lunt. She was the beloved wife of Gilbert Ross, and the mother of her cherished daughters Kirsten Ross and Kimberley French (husband Michael).

Mary believed in community service and graciously contributed her efforts to Frisbie Memorial Hospital, Strafford Guidance Center, the Rochester school system, the many students she tutored, various choirs in NH and Maine, and Hospice of York.

Mary's magnificent soprano voice inspired others throughout her life, and her love of music fed her soul. She enjoyed literature and the arts. She was inspired by the beauty of nature, and was an advocate of environmental consciousness and the preservation of natural resources.

First Parish Church in York was a place of refuge for Mary. There she forged a family of faith, and celebrated life's most poignant moments. With the choir's support she was able to find the strength to sing again after the passing of Gil.

Thank you to the congregation for offering Mary's prayer for "the healing of our precious and fragile Earth" in her absence.

Mary endeavored to be an instrument of peace, and offered loving kindness to all she encountered. She would want us to honor her transition by being kind to one another, by loving unconditionally, treasuring and protecting nature, and by advocating fearlessly for our beliefs.