Mary Marilyn (Flynn) Hart

Mary Marilyn (Flynn) Hart of Hopedale, Ohio, died at home on January 31, 2025, after a long struggle with dementia. She was preceded in death by her parents Flora (Doiron) Flynn of New Brunswick, Canada, and Edward Flynn of Skowhegan, ME; brother, Kerry Kalen Steward; brother Dale Flynn; and a son-in-law Stanley Rodgers. Mary is survived by her loving, devoted husband and caregiver, Bryan Hart; her children, Sheila Rodgers, Sharon (Bill) Sefton; Kevin (Sherrie) Hart; and Denise (Jeff) Krall; and by 9 grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren.

Both from Maine, Mary met Bryan at a dance. They were married in 1956 after being in a brief courtship, and she bravely followed him to France at the age of 20 to begin 30 years as an Air Force military wife. This strong woman organized family moves back to Maine, New Jersey, to Germany, to Michigan, back to Germany including two moves to other bases within Germany, and to Ohio. Moves to and from Germany were managed alone with four children, because Bryan’s assignments started earlier than the moves would take place. She also cared for three young children and delivered her youngest child while Bryan was on a remote assignment to Alaska. She never complained. Women like Mary are the backbone of the military.

Mary was an expert seamstress and craftswoman. She lovingly sewed her daughters’ clothes, including a wedding gown and bridesmaids’ dresses. She was skilled at crochet, knitting, and made dolls and other handcrafted items to sell. She decorated cakes. She also worked for a time as a dental assistant and as a salesclerk. She kept an immaculate house—her children don’t know how she managed it with them around!

Mary will be best remembered as a generous, kind, very capable woman who cherished her family, especially her husband Bryan, beyond measure. Bryan was the love of her life, and they had a “marriage made in heaven.” Dementia didn’t steal away that love.

A sincere acknowledgement and thank you to Theresa and April for going above and beyond in providing excellent care and compassion to Mary during the latter stages of her illness.

A memorial service will be held on Saturday, February 15, 2025 at Clark-Kirkland-Barr Funeral Home in Cadiz, Ohio. Friends may call from 12:00 p.m. until the time of the funeral service at 1:00 p.m. with Rev. Fr. Fred Kihm officiating. 

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that memorial contributions be made to the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America, 322 Eighth Avenue, 16th Floor, New York, New York 10001 or donate online at https://alzfdn.org/donate/. 

The memorial guestbook may be signed at clark-kirkland-barr.com.