Obituary : Mary C. O'Hayer
Mary Cavert O'Hayer, 83, of Oak Bluffs died peacefully at her home in Woodside Village last week. She was the great niece of Cora, Helen, and E. Mae Cavert who ran the Blue Barque, a successful tea house and antique shop in Chilmark.
Mary loved to reminisce about her trips to the Island as a young girl to visit "The Girls," as she called them. She later inherited their down-Island home, on William Street and Colonial Lane in Vineyard Haven. Mary painted the house bright yellow and set about raising her five children there in the summers.
Before her marriage to Edward J. O'Hayer, she spent her childhood in New Rochelle, N.Y., and upstate in Oswego. She later received a BA from the College of New Rochelle in 1948. Mary was very proud of her work drawing gels for the animated film series "Terrytunes." More recently, her involvement in the many prayer groups here on the Vineyard gave her joy and made her the happiest.
Like all mothers, she was proudest of her five children, Peg Emery, Joe O'Hayer, Peter O'Hayer, Michael O'Hayer, and Patty Shears; and her six grandchildren, Ted and Cory O'Hayer, Rachael and Sam O'Hayer, and Meghan and Cameron Shears. She was predeceased by her parents David Woodbourne Cavert and Marguerite Cavert of Saratoga County, N.Y.
A mass celebrating her life will be held on Saturday, Dec. 12, at 11 am at Our Lady Star of the Sea church in Oak Bluffs. Interment to follow at Oak Grove Cemetery in Vineyard Haven. In lieu of flowers, any donations may be made in Mary's name to Meals on Wheels, or the Catholic Church.
