Mary Clymer Coons

Mary Clymer Coons died on March 17th, 2021 in Hingham MA after a brief illness.  She was born on March 28, 1925 in Schenectady, New York, the daughter of Charles C. Clymer and Ruth (Connor) Clymer.

Mary loved and excelled at math and science in high school.  She attended the University of Wisconsin-Madison where she majored in chemistry and minored in economics, both unusual fields of study for women of her generation.  After graduation, Mary worked as a chemist at the Knolls Atomic Power Laboratory (KAPL) in Schenectady, New York where the Chart of Nuclides was created and is still maintained today. While at KAPL, Mary met Charles W. Coons, an engineer at the General Electric Company. The couple married and then relocated to Syracuse, New York.  Once their three children were born, Mary focused on her family and spent time on several hobbies.  In the warmer months, she was an avid gardener and grew dozens of unique varieties of dahlias, zinnias and asters. She worked for years on the altar guild at St. David’s Episcopal Church in DeWitt, New York, arranging flowers from her garden.  In the cooler months, she welcomed the snow and liked nothing better than to spend a day skiing with her family and friends. Mary treated each of her dogs as members of her family.  In 2009, she moved from Syracuse to Linden Ponds in Hingham to be closer to her kids and she brought her beloved Collie, McTavish with her.  She was very proud of her six grandchildren and was thrilled to see them choose careers in scientific research, engineering and education. She was a great conversationalist and will be greatly missed by all who knew her.

Mary was the beloved wife of the late Charles W. Coons.  Loving mother of Charles C. Coons and his wife Julie of Lexington, Kenneth C. Coons and his wife Kristen of Hubbardston, and Elizabeth Townsend and her husband Wayne of Hingham.  Cherished grandmother of Samantha, Stephen, Nathan, Stephanie, Elizabeth and Madeline. Predeceased by her late sister Ann Clymer.

A funeral service will be celebrated on Saturday, October 2nd at the Church of Our Redeemer, Lexington followed by burial at Westview Cemetery in Lexington. In lieu of flowers, donations in memory of Mary may be made to the Dementia Society of America, P.O. Box 600, Doylestown, PA 18901.