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 Mary
Elizabeth Sites Schlager, 82, of Lancaster, passed away surrounded
by the love of her family. Mary, one of nine children, was born
at home in Greenstone, PA to the late R. Milton and Alice Donahue
Stahley Sites.
Mary moved to
Lancaster to study nursing, was president of her class, and
graduated with honors from St. Joseph's School of Nursing in 1950.
She met and married Donald L. Schlager during her graduating year
and lived in Lancaster the remainder of her active life. Her love
of nursing and caring for patients was her calling. She retired
after forty-two years from St Joseph's Hospital, but continued to
work during retirement in reception and patient management for a
local doctor. She was respected by her colleagues and remembered
with
 fondness
by her patients. Many of her patients became life-long friends.
Her love of
family was apparent as she worked tirelessly full time at night
while raising six children, rarely sleeping more than four hours
at a time for decades. Much of her life was devoted to caring for
her children and her grandchildren. Mary loved learning, enjoyed
reading and passed her excitement about education and higher
learning to her immediate and her extended family. Her hobbies
were baking cakes on top of the stove, staying in contact with
family, friends from high school and nursing school, and helping
and caring for her large family. Mary was a devout Catholic
throughout her life attending Sacred Heart Church of Lancaster.
Mary is
survived by three sons: John and his wife Janis of Ohio, Mark and
his wife Charlene of New Jersey, and Matthew of Lancaster; three
daughters: Helen and her husband Peter Husty of Delaware, Eileen
and her husband John Hoover of North Carolina and Elise of
Lancaster; 16 grandchildren and three great-grandchildren. She is
further survived by her sisters Lillie Theresa Bream, Charlotte
Ann Ford, and Alice Mary Harbaugh. In addition to her
parents and her husband Donald,
her brothers Eugene Robert, John Edward and Joseph Leonard, and
her sisters Adaline Marie Harbaugh and Mildred Irene Fissel
preceded her in death.
A Mass of
Christian Burial will be held on Wednesday, January 6, 2010 at
11am from Sacred Heart of Jesus Catholic Church, 558 W. Walnut
St., Lancaster, PA with The Rev. Michael E. Messner as Celebrant.
A viewing will take place at the Charles F. Snyder Funeral Home,
Inc., 414 E. King Street, Lancaster, PA on Tuesday from 6 to 8 PM,
with the recitation of the Rosary at 7:30 PM. A viewing will also
take place at the church on Wednesday one hour prior to the Mass.
Final Farewell and Commendation will take place from St. Joseph
New Catholic Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be
made in Mary's memory to Covenant House, 5 Penn Plaza, New York,
NY 10001, attention "Philadelphia Youth", or to Sacred Heart of
Jesus Catholic Church, 558 W. Walnut St., Lancaster, PA 17603. To
send the family online condolences please visit
snyderfuneralhome.com |
