Mary Catherine Tobin (51) passed away with her family by her side on Sunday morning, November 23, 2008 in Boston at the Dana Farber Cancer Institute, after over a year's battle with leukemia. She is the daughter of Catherine Costello Tobin of Chazy Landing, New York and the late Roger Tobin of Hemmingford, Quebec. She is the beloved sister of Michael and Patrick Tobin and aunt of Ryan, Sean, Laura, and Brendan Tobin.
She is survived and deeply missed by her loving partner and fiance, Floyd Bourne of Cooperstown, NY and children and grandchildren. Her stepmother Elfi Bollow-Tobin of St. Lambert, Quebec, sister-in-law Tamara Stevenson of Covey Hill Road, Hemmingford and Janice Nightingale of Plattsburgh ache at the passing of this strong woman. She is irreplaceable in the hearts of Aunt Lila and Uncle Roy Holmes of Hemmingford and their "boys" - Jimmy, Johnny, Jerry, and Joey–and cousin Matt Copeland. Godfather and uncle, Dennis Tobin, of Ayers Cliff, Quebec and cousins Sarah, Joel, and Jordan Tobin and Tesson Beaudin mourn her loss as do a wide and extended network of family and friends, particularly in Quebec and New York who will remember her with deep affection and miss her enormously.
Mary was born in Plattsburgh, New York but grew up "on the border" in Hemmingford, traveling everyday to school in Mooers and Champlain, New York where her mother was a teacher. She graduated from the State University of New York in Plattsburgh at the young age of only 20. She immediately began a career herself in education as a teacher, and later a principal, in New York's North Country and Adirondack in Mooers, Rouses Point, and Saranac Lake. She moved to Cooperstown in the 1990's to become principal at Richfield Springs Central School. For many years she was the President of New York's "Midstate Principals' Association" until her retirement in 2004.
Throughout her life, Mary was always the initiator and innovator at the center of activity whether with family, friends, professional colleagues, or community members. Whether organizing celebrations and parties, coaching a men's hockey team, or advocating for one of her students, Mary's energy was seemingly unstoppable. Mary was proud to have been the President of the Rotary Club of Richfield Springs in the late 1990's. Under her leadership her chapter won New York State's highest Rotarian honor—the "Helping Hands" award for community service.
Mary was an avid outdoorswoman and athlete. She sailed the Caribbean, climbed glaciers in Alaska, fly fished in Yellowstone, and trekked through the National Parks of the U.S. West and Southwest, as well as the sands of the Jordanian desert and ancient walls of Petra and Jerusalem. She prided herself in being in the best shape of her life as she turned 50 and had just become a certified spinning instructor. Post-retirement adventure travel continued. Dreams of seeing Ireland and the Isle of Man inspired her as she fought her cancer. The week before she was told leukemia had recurred, she climbed her first, and vowed to climb all 46, Adirondack 4000 foot peaks.
She was a woman of unconventional, but deep faith rooted in the history and traditions of her Irish Catholic heritage. A funeral service will be held on Saturday, November 29, 2008 at 11am in her hometown of Hemmingford, Quebec at St. Romain's Catholic Church. Family and friends will gather at 9:30am at the Church and again after Mass for a reception to give thanks for Mary's life and celebrate her entry into Heaven.
