Maria Schwartz

Mary Barbieri Schwartz, 91, passed away April 2, 2012 at Jackson Madison County General Hospital. Shackelford Funeral Directors – Johnson Chapel in charge of arrangements.

She was born in New York City on February 13, 1921 to the late Alfonso and Ernesta Barbieri. In 1948, she married Glenn Schwartz. They made their home in Southern California before retiring to Henderson in 1985. Glenn passed away in 1994. She had resided at Southern Oaks since 2001. Mary was a homemaker and was active in the communities in which she lived. She taught remedial reading, was active with Girl Scouts, and was a catechism teacher for many years. She was active in the Montezuma Community Center, Chester County Senior Citizens, American Legion Women’s Auxiliary, and the Diocesan Council of Catholic Women. She was a member of St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Jackson. Mary had an interest in writing. She served as Montezuma Community reporter for the Chester County Independent, and wrote many letters to the editor. A subject she wrote about often was recycling, and one of her letters was published in the Congressional Record in 1990.

She is survived by daughter and son-in-law, Kathy and Chuck Wagers of Wenatchee, WA: daughter and son-in-law, Donna and Tim Pace of Finger; granddaughter, Erin Pace of Nashville. She is also survived by sisters and brother-in-law, nieces and nephews and her family at Southern Oaks. She was preceded in death by her sister, Iolanda Barbieri, and her brother, Victor Barbieri.

Mary like to say that she had experienced diversity in living; growing up in the city; raising her family in the suburbs; and retiring to a rural community.