Mary Augusta DeLanoy passed away peacefully at home on Tuesday, Dec. 29, 2020. She was 102.
Mollie (as she was always known) was born on April 1, 1918, on Staten Island, N.Y., to Henry E. Mecke and Gabrielle (Reynaud) Mecke.
In 1933, the family moved to West Orange, N.J., where Mollie remained until 1983, when she and her husband Allen moved to Cedar Grove, N.J., to live with their daughter Suzanne and her family. In 2005, Mollie moved with Suzanne to a lakefront property in the Stockholm section of Hardyston Township, N.J., where she loved sitting with a view of the lake and watching the many birds and other forms of wildlife.
Mollie graduated from West Orange High School in 1936 and worked in department stores until 1942 when she married G. Allen DeLanoy Jr., and became a stay-at-home mom who raised four children. Later, she worked in a pediatrician’s office for quite a few years, then an ophthalmologist’s office, and finally spent many years working for daughter Suzanne’s word processing and office services business before she “retired” at the age of 87 when she and Suzanne moved to Stockholm in Sussex County. Mollie became very active at St. John Vianney Roman Catholic Church, helping out with tag sales and various other events, until she stopped driving in her mid-90s.
From her early twenties until age 87, Mollie was very active in community theater, most notably at the Studio Playhouse in Upper Montclair, N.J., where she wore many hats, including directing, acting, designing costumes, and managing the box office (all volunteer positions). Husband Allen, who introduced Mollie to community theater life when they were dating, was active as a director and actor until his passing in 1990.
Mollie was predeceased by her husband Allen (1912-1990); her parents, Gabrielle (1888-1981) and Henry (1889-1984) Mecke; her brothers, Henry O. (“Bud”) Mecke and Herbert Mecke and their wives; her sister-in-law, Violet (DeLanoy) D’Alessandro; her son-in-law, Bill Ward (1932-2002); and her two nephews, Kenneth D’Alessandro and Andy Mecke.
Mollie is survived by her four children, G. Allen (“Mark”) DeLanoy and his wife, Dee, Suzanne DeLanoy Ward, Stephen B. DeLanoy and his wife, Mary Ann, and William H. (“Bill”) DeLanoy. She will also be missed by six grandchildren, Allyson Maybaum, Thomas Dixon, Stephen M. DeLanoy, Laura Ward Malizzi, Chad DeLanoy, and Heather DeLanoy; her ten great-grandchildren; and 11 nieces and nephews.
The family received visitors on Jan. 5, at the Stickle-Soltesz Funeral Home, 1Newfoundland, N.J. The funeral mass tooj place on Jan. 6 at St. John Vianney Roman Catholic Church, Stockholm. Immediately following Mollie was interred beside her husband at Restland Memorial Park, East Hanover, N.J.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to Dementia Society of America (dementiasociety.org).