Mary E. Siegrist

Mary E. Siegrist, of Lancaster, PA, passed away on April 16, 2020 at Conestoga View Nursing Home.  She was the widow of Jay E. Siegrist who died in 2005.  Besides her parents and husband, Mary was predeceased by brothers Paul Lungren, Jr., William C. Lungren and Walter F. Lungren as well as a sister, Betty L. Kauffman.

She was born on Labor Day, September 3, 1926, in Pequea, PA, to Paul E. and Mary (Beck) Lungren who were proprietors of the Riverview Hotel.  Mary’s primary education began at West View School in Pequea.  She graduated from Manor-Millersville High School in 1945.

Mary was a member of Covenant United Methodist Church in Lancaster where she volunteered every week.  She was described as a person whose work ethic was off the charts and who was always able to spread good cheer.  That carried over to her employment as a machine operator at Hamilton Technology where she was known to be so efficient at her job that she could do it with her eyes closed.  The folks at work also looked forward to the times when she’d bring in her legendary chocolate cake with peanut butter icing.

Mary was an avid and accomplished sportswoman.  She first gained acclaim for her athleticism as a softball pitching phenom with the Hamilton Watch and IBEW teams beginning in the mid 1940s.  Having grown up around the Susquehanna River, watersports were also close to her heart.  A fantastic water-skier, she was a founding member of the Pequea Ski and Crutch Club and performed trick skiing acts including standing on the shoulders of other water-skiers in two, three and five-person pyramids.

Along with her husband, Jay, her water related interests eventually graduated to larger boats and the waters of the Chesapeake Bay.  She became an active member of the Lancaster Power Squadron.  That occupied her summers but winter was for snowmobiling.  With her husband and their friends she spent many weeks in Old Forge, NY, Canada and Indiantown Gap covering hundreds of miles of snow laden trails.

Did we mention bowling?  Until just a few years ago she participated in four different leagues.  She was inducted into the Pennsylvania State USBC Senior Women’s Hall of Fame in 2012.  Then there were the Lancaster Senior Games where year after year she hauled home a host of blue ribbons for everything from horseshoes or shooting basketball to fast walking.

That still left spring and fall to be filled with activities and gardening filled that bill.  Need a few tomatoes?  Mary’s idea of a few was more like two dozen tomatoes, six cucumbers, a dozen peppers, and more.  Her pumpkin pies made from her own pumpkins rivaled her chocolate cake in popularity and the produce she didn’t manage to give away filled the three freezers in her basement to the brim.  And as if she didn’t have enough to do with her own garden, Mary loved driving down to Bob and Billie’s farm to help pick blueberries to be sold at market.

Generosity was another hallmark.  For example, she and Jay were long time supporters of the Fresh Air kids program.  Some children came only for one brief occasion but one brother and sister, who eventually began spending entire summers and holidays with “Aunt Mary and Uncle Jay”, became life-long friends.

Mary is survived by nephew Robert Althouse and his wife, Billie, of Holtwood, PA, and by nephew Richard Kauffman and his wife, Millie, of Manheim.  She also leaves behind a host of friends and acquaintances who will all miss her deeply.

Donations in Mary’s memory can be made to the Fresh Air Fund, 633 Third Avenue, 14th Fl, New York, NY 10017 or online at freshair.org.

A memorial service will be announced at a later date.   To leave an online condolence for the family, please visit: www.DeBordSnyder.com