Mary Ellen Richards, age 94, of Wolfeboro, NH, formerly of East Wakefield, NH and Marblehead, MA, died peacefully on June 17, 2017. Mary was born on October 12, 1922 in Sioux City, Iowa to Adelbert and Caroline (Osincup) Stoeber and was raised in a suburb of Chicago, Illinois. After graduating high school Mary attended Grinnell College in Iowa. She was predeceased by her beloved husband and best friend, William C. Richards, Jr. and her younger brother, James Stoeber. Loving mother of William C. III and his wife Camille of Exeter, NH and Caroline Mason and her husband Ray of Panorama, TX. Proud grandmother of William C. IV, Ph.D. and his wife Pascale Vonier, Stephen M. and his wife Nicole and Scott D. and his wife Maura. Adoring great-grandmother of Ava and Alice.

Mary and Bill were married on July 31, 1943 in Chicago, Illinois. Mary followed Bill to Los Angeles, CA to await his return after he served with honor and distinction in the U.S. Navy during WWII. With his career in sales, Bill, Mary and their children lived in several states, settling in Marblehead, MA. She continued her career as a real estate agent retiring in 1986 from the Willard D. Martin Insurance and Real Estate Agency in Marblehead. They enjoyed their retirement years at their lake house in NH.

Mary enjoyed the outdoors and was an avid golfer. She loved to read and was especially interested in politics. Mary was a member of the P.E.O. International Sisterhood and served on many committees as a volunteer, always lending a helping hand and words of encouragement and optimism to all she encountered. She was a former Supervisor of the Checklist and a member of the Sanbornville United Methodist Church.

A memorial and celebration of Mary's life will be held Saturday, August 19, 2017 at 10:30 a.m. at Peaslee Funeral Home, 2079 Wakefield Road,(Sanbornville) Wakefield, NH. Her ashes will be interred beside her beloved husband at a private service.

In lieu of flowers, Mary respectfully requested that memorial donations be made to the Sanbornville Methodist Church, 173 Meadow Street, Sanbornville, NH 03872 or the Wakefield, NH Food Pantry, 1500 Wakefield Road, Sanbornville, NH. She hoped that we "live our lives to the fullest potential with love and joy".

The family wishes to express sincere gratitude to all of those who cared for Mary at the Wolfeboro Bay Center and her many dear friends, neighbors and family members who visited Mary while she resided there.