Mary L. Utley, age 80, of La Porte, passed away on March 16, 2014 at St. Anthony Hospice in Michigan City, IN
Mrs. Utley was born in New Buffalo, MI, on June 3, 1933 to Robert B. and Elsie (Eggert) Hoder. She was married in 1981 to Major John H. Utley, Jr. (USAR) (ret.) with whom she shared four children; Elizabeth (Donald) Simmons of Harrisonburg, VA, David Koster of Atlanta, GA, Anne (Edward) French of Fort Meyers, FL, and John H. Utley, III of Michigan City. She is also succeeded by two grandchildren, Jennifer (Casey) Kaleba of Hyattsville, MA and Trevor McWhirter of San Francisco,CA; two great-grandchildren, Elsie and Islay Kaleba, also of Hyattsville, MD. Surviving are a sister, Carole (Raymond) Bronicki of Niles, MI; brother, Carl (Donna) Hoder of Michigan City; a sister-in-law, Margaret (Gary) Hays of Walkersville, MD; and numerous nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents, her beloved husband, John, and sister, Margaret (Otto) Zack.
As a member of St. Paul's Episcopal Church in La Porte since 1957, Mrs. Utley was a former Sunday School teacher, choir and Women's Board member, and a co-founder of the church's considerable library which she was privileged to use for research. She was also a member of the Episcopal Synod of America and the Prayer Book Society. In her younger years, she was a volunteer Pink Lady at La Porte Hospital, a friend of La Porte Library, PTA member, La Porte PTA legislation chairman, and a member of the New York Metropolitan Opera and Chicago Lyric Opera Guilds. She was also a Republican precinct committeewoman and held numerous positions with that party including delegate to four State Conventions.
When the La Porte Symphony Orchestra was founded in 1972, Mary quickly became a member and from then on served it in many capacities: publicist, board member, and finally, as Program Annotator for 30 years. In 1981, she married John (Jack) Utley and the two became a working team. At the time, she was a free-lance writer contributing over 200 stories to the South Bend Tribune from 1976-1984 covering such diverse personalities as Luciano Pavarotti, Ella Fitzgerald, music scholar Carl Haas and composer Gain Carlo Menotti. She covered music festivals from Seattle to Scotland (and getting there on QEII), the Harlem Globetrotters, and opening day with the Chicago Cubs. In 1997, she published a compilation of her works entitled PROGRAM NOTES BY MARY UTLEY. Making Music Together for 25 years with the La Porte Symphony Orchestra and in 2006 a sequel to it entitled PROGRAM NOTES, THE ENCORE YEARS. Her program notes about George Frederick Handel's oratorio MESSIAH are used annually with Michigan City's Presbyterian Church's production of it. In 2006, she published her life's major work, a book entitled THE BIBLE AND THE WORLD TOGETHER, AN HISTORICAL GUIDE BOOK (available on Amazon.com). Memorials may be made to the La Porte County Symphony Orchestra or St. Paul's Episcopal Church, both in La Porte, IN.
A Celebration of Life Memorial Service will be held at 11 AM on Tuesday, June 3, 2014 at St. Paul's Episcopal Church with Father Thomas Kincaid officiating. A time of visitation will be held from 10 AM until the time of the service on Tuesday at the church. Mary donated her body to science and burial will take place at a later time at Pine Grove Cemetery in New Buffalo, Michigan.
Funeral arrangements have been entrusted to Cutler Funeral Home and Cremation Center. Condolences may be shared with the family online at www.cutlerfuneralhome.com.
Facts Born: June 3, 1933
Death: March 16, 2014
Services A Memorial Service will be held later in the year.
Tuesday June 3, 2014, 11:00 AM at St. Paul's Episcopal Church
A time of visitation will take place one hour prior to the service on Tuesday at the church.