Mary T. Rodriquez

Mary T. Rodriquez (Preece), 91, of Providence, passed away Saturday, May 11, 2013 at Steere House after a courageous and long battle with Alzheimer's Disease. She was the beloved wife of the late Leonard Rodriquez. Born in Ayr Scotland, she was the daughter of the late Hylton George and Margaret (Murray) Preece.

Mary was a WWII war bride and moved from Scotland to New York City in 1946. She and Leonard raised their four children in Howard Beach, New York where she was very active in the community and especially at St. Barnabas Lutheran Church. She performed in plays, organized fund raising events and often read during church services. She retired from Macy's Department Store after twenty years working as a salesperson and ultimately as a department manager. Mary was known for her sense of humor, effervescent personality and her famous apple pie. She loved to commemorate special events by writing poems which were often funny and always heart-warming. She was known as "the life of the party". In her retirement years Mary loved to travel home to Scotland to visit her family. She also loved to knit and spend time with her children and grandchildren.

She leaves three daughters, Margaret Rodriquez M.D. , Lynne Rodriquez, CPA and Joyce R. Gifford D.V.M. She also leaves three grandchildren, Jason Rodriquez, Canaan A. Gifford and Taber P. Gifford. She was the mother of the late Brian P. Rodriquez and the sister of the late Doris Murray. Her burial will be in Maple Grove Cemetery, Queens, New York.

The family suggests that expressions of sympathy in Mary's name may be made as donations to Home and Hospice Care of Rhode Island or Steere House Nursing Home of Providence.