Mary Gilkeson McCleary

Mary Gilkeson McCleary, age 97, passed away October 15, 2017 at Elim Park in Cheshire, Connecticut.  She was born August 17, 1920 in Sellersville, Pennsylvania, a daughter of Adlai H. and Katharine K. Gilkeson. She was a loving and supportive wife, mother, grandmother and great-grandmother. She was an accomplished organist, pianist, and handbell musician and enjoyed a long, rich career in music ministry. Her kindness, broad smile, positive spirit and ability to see the best in everyone endeared her to all.

Mrs. McCleary graduated as valedictorian from Westminster Choir College in Princeton, New Jersey, earning a Bachelor of Music in 1941. Her first position was organist-director at The Congregational Church of Naugatuck where she served over thirty years. She also served in music ministry at the Congregational Church in Painesville, Ohio, the First Baptist Church, Waterbury, the United Church of Christ, Southbury, and the First Congregational Church, Watertown.

A well-known, popular composer of music for handbells, Mrs. McCleary served as President of the American Guild of English Handbell Ringers. She led workshops and seminars and conducted handbell festivals in the United States, Canada and Japan. Her handbell music brought joy to people literally throughout the world. She also had served as Dean of the Waterbury Chapter of the American Guild of Organists and President of the Women's Study Club of Naugatuck.

Mary met her husband Charles David McCleary in the Congregational Church choir and they were married August 29, 1942. Mary and Mac shared forty five wonderful years and raised four children. They enjoyed traveling throughout the US, Canada, Europe and Asia. Together, they grew bounteous crops of fruit and vegetables and her raspberry jelly was well-known.

She is survived by her children Katharine Elizabeth (Jacobi), Little Silver, NJ,  Annie Forsythe, East Calais, VT, Charles Albert (Barbara), Ellington, and Robert Steele (Donna), Dover, PA; grandchildren Charles , Chicago, IL, William, Glastonbury, David (Britt), Watertown, MA, Robert (Stacey), Waterford, MI, Melissa, Whitman, MA, Mary (Anthony) Geraci,  Mechanicsburg, PA, Ellen Peifer,  Pt. Pleasant, NJ, and Jane (John) Mawicke, Chicago, IL; and seven great-grandchildren. She was predeceased by her beloved husband in 1987 and her son-in-law, K. Edward Jacobi.

Visitation will be held Friday, October 20, 2017 from 5 to 7 P.M. at the Alderson-Ford Funeral Home in Naugatuck. The funeral will be held at 12 P.M. Saturday, October 21, 2017 at The Congregational Church of Naugatuck. The organ prelude will start at 11:40 A.M. A reception in the Parish House will follow.  A graveside service will be held at the Huntsville Cemetery in Huntsville, Ohio Thursday, October 26, 2017 at 2 P.M. officiated by Pastor Benjamin Beres.