Ms. Mary Schell

 

October 27, 1948 – August 6, 2017

 

Mary Schell loved music.  She played piano and guitar, and had a lovely voice.  In the filk community she sang using the name Helva Peters, and won awards for her singing.  Mary discovered the filk community through her love of science fiction and fantasy programs such as Beauty and the Beast, Highlander, and Firefly.  She was a member of the MASSFILK group and the local Browncoats (Firefly) organization.

 

Mary became involved in genealogy while trying to identify Scottish relatives from our mother’s side of the family. In the process, she identified a number of long-lost relatives, some of them while attending Highland Games.

 

 Mary was born in Boston , MA,  and raised in Acton, MA.  She loved the desert southwest, and lived in both Texas and Arizona.

 

In the last few decades of her life, Mary struggled with multiple chemical sensitivities or MCS, and a wide array of allergies.  Her inability to tolerate fragrance and other volatile organic compounds limited her ability to participate in public events.  One of her favorite safe spaces was the family property on Sebago Lake in Maine.  A few years ago Mary was diagnosed with stage four breast cancer, she fought through radiation, chemotherapy, naturopathic treatments and treatment at a clinic in Mexico.

 

Mary is survived by her six siblings: Dr. Frank Schell of Luzerne, PA, Kate Schell of Arlington, MA, Lew Schell of Arlington, MA, Carl Schell of Jefferson, MA, Barbara Chludzinski of Burlington MA, and Helen Wright of Kingston, RI.

 

Visiting hours at the Rogers & Hutchins Funeral Home, 292 Massachusetts Avenue in Arlington on Friday, August 11, 2017 from 6 – 9 P.M.  A funeral will be held on August 12th, at 11 A.M. at the Church of Our Saviour, 21 Marathon Street, Arlington MA.