CURRENT CELEBRATIONS

Mary Nothdurft Shiveler

Mary Nothdurft Shiveler

Mary had roots deep in Swedesboro. Born to John and Sara Nothdurft at Mae Haffey’s, she went through the Swedesboro school system (where you walked home for lunch everyday), was involved in the Girl Scouts, and was a graduate of Swedesboro High School Class of 1951.  Mary graduated from Maryland General Hospital School of Nursing becoming an RN in 1955. In 1957 she was in charge of the first anti-polio clinic for Swedesboro. Mary worked as a private duty nurse until she became a farmer’s wife.  On their Oak Grove farm, she sold brown eggs and canned food for the winter but she was best known for decorated cakes featuring the famous pound cake. Mary taught cake decorating locally and was in high demand for her custom cakes for celebrations and weddings. Mary loved to sew and do needlework. Her daughter’s friends were envious of the clothes Mary had made for Carol’s Barbie Dolls. She quilted; both appliqué and patchwork; there are many finished and unfinished quilts in her house.  Mary was a member of Eastern Star; an active gold sheaf member of Swedesboro Grange, Gloucester County Pomona Grange, and the State of New Jersey Grange.  She won a cross stitch contest and presented the winning piece to Barbara Bush while she was First Lady. Weekends during the summer found her at Lake Garrison and she traveled quite a bit with Pat: she cruised the Mississippi River and the Panama Canal and vacationed in Hawaii, and Florida.  She was seldom found without a book in hand. Must have been a family trait: she and sister, Ann, spent a lifetime swapping books.

The late Walter (Pat) and Mary would share a 50 year marriage blessed by a daughter, Carol Ewald (Mike) and a son, the late Glenn and later by granddaughters: Samantha Martin (Michael), Abby Lewis and Vicky Raleigh (Austin); and step grandchildren: Jonathan Ewald (Ashlee) and Lauren Berry (Max).  Mary is survived by her sister, Ann Zayac as well as many nieces and nephews. She was pre-deceased by her sister, Elizabeth Hunt and brothers, John and Wilbert Nothdurft. 

Because Mary loved to attend parades in Swedesboro and the Woodstown 4th of July parade and watch educational programming please send donations in lieu of flowers to the Woodstown 4th of July Parade (woodstown4thofjulyparade.com) or WHYY.

A memorial service will be planned later.