On the evening of May 23, 2015, Mary Derrick Coxe peacefully entered into eternal life after an extended illness. At the time of her passing, Mary was being visited and comforted by her loving family at the PS We Love Seniors facility in North Albany. Mary was 80 years of age.
Mary was born in Titusville, Florida on November 7, 1934. She was the oldest of the three children of Hazel Myrtle and William Adam Derrick.
Mary grew up in Florida and South Carolina, and attended Converse College in Spartanburg, South Carolina. After graduation, Mary began a career as an educator, with a focus on elementary school education. Mary's passion for teaching and learning lasted for her entire lifetime (leading to multiple graduate degrees), and was one of the most treasured gifts to her children.
In 1969, Mary moved with her family to the newly-admitted state of Alaska, where she lived and worked for 40 years, first in remote villages and logging communities and then in the city of Juneau. During her time in Alaska, Mary worked as a teacher, library specialist, and administrator, all while raising four children.
Among her many passions and hobbies, Mary was an accomplished bridge player, pianist and organist. She also loved reading and gardening, socializing with her close friends over a good meal, and enjoying the company of family and multiple pets. Her kindness towards animals was famed; her love for her family was unmatched.
Mary was preceded in death by her father, mother and brother, and is survived by her sister, Linda Derrick of Boone, North Carolina, her husband, Raymond Coxe of Juneau, Alaska, her son, Raymond Coxe, Jr. of Hudson, Massachusetts, her daughter, Anne Green of Anchorage, Alaska, and her daughters Amanda Bradley and Amy Roberts, both of Albany, Oregon. She is also survived by five grandchildren: Jasmine Green, Jessica, Hamish and Neve Bradley, and Ian Roberts.