Celebrating the life of
Mary Geswender Cory
November 23, 1919 - October 04, 2007
Mary G. Cory<br><br>Mary Geswender Cory, 87, died Thursday, October 4, 2007 at Savannah Squares. The Savannah native and lifelong resident was known to her friends as “Peggy”.<br>Peggy and her sisters were placed in the Savannah Female Orphan Asylum in 1925 after the death of their mother. A friend of Peggy’s mother Elizabeth Ravenel became foster mother to Peggy and her sisters by taking them out of the orphanage for summer camps, and later Elizabeth paid for them to go college and nurse’s training. Determined to become a nurse, Peggy was helped by Miss Ravenel to achieve her goal.<br>In 1941 Peggy finished Nurse’s training at St. Joseph’s Hopsital. She worked for Dr. A.J. Waring, a leading Savannah pediatrician before being hired by Memorial Hospital. At the hospital she met Dr. Upton Clary and was hired by him as his scrub nurse. She worked for Dr. Clary and the Neurological Institute for over 40 years.<br>Peggy was a member of Independent Presbyterian Church for over 70 years where she sat in her favorite pew for most of those years. She joined the church when she was fourteen, and she was almost eighty-eight years old when she died.<br>All who knew Peggy admired her enthusiasm for life. She and her sister Ruth lived in Savannah which they loved and in turn the community loved those sisters. She worked hard all her life, but equally she loved to have a good time. Her children’s friends loved her so much because she loved to laugh. She was also a strict disciplinarian which earned her the nickname “The Sarge”, but at heart the children all knew how much she loved them.<br>She was preceded in death by her husband Andrew E. Cory, Jr. She is survived by her children: Son: Andrew E. Cory, III Judith, Daughter: Carolyn Cory Chapman, her grandchildren, Andrew Steven Chapman, Cory Caroline Chapman, Patricia Ann Buitrago and Michael Andrew Cory and six great-grandchildren. She is also survived by her niece Mary Frances Fraser and her husband Doug who cared for her in the last eight years of her life. <br>Visitation will be 4:00 to 6:00 p.m., Sunday, October 7, 2007 at Fox and Weeks Funeral Directors, Hodgson Chapel.<br>Funeral services will be 2:00 p.m., Monday, October 8, 2007 at Independent Presbyterian Church.<br>Burial will be in Bonaventure Cemetery.<br>In lieu of flowers the family has requested a donation to Hospice Savannah or American Cancer Society.<br>Fox and Weeks Funeral Directors, Hodgson Chapel<br>
We wanted to send our sympathies to your family. We bought our home from Mrs. Cory back in 1997. She was such a special lady.
- Kaye McGee, Savannah, GA
Dear Carolyn and Jack Momma just told me about your Mom. I am so sorry for your loss. I have wonderful memories of spending nights at your home when we were in Elementary School. I also remember your Mom and my Mom, Carolyn and my sisters, Shirley and Judy coming to pick me up in Florida from my Aunt Bettye and Uncle Paul's house in Florida because I was homesick! Unfortunately, I will be unable to attend Miss Peggy's funeral, but I will have all of you in my thoughts and Prayers Love, Peggy
- Peggy Wittfeld Jackson, North Myrtle Beach, SC
I had the privilage of working with Mrs. Cory at the Neurological Institute of Savannah for 23 years. I loved her dearly and will remember her fondly. She was a delightful person and I am grateful that I was able to know her.
- Katie Kruse, Richmond Hill, GA
We wanted to send our sympathies to your family. We bought our home from Mrs. Cory back in 1997. She was such a special lady.
- Kaye McGee, Savannah, GA
Dear Carolyn and Jack Momma just told me about your Mom. I am so sorry for your loss. I have wonderful memories of spending nights at your home when we were in Elementary School. I also remember your Mom and my Mom, Carolyn and my sisters, Shirley and Judy coming to pick me up in Florida from my Aunt Bettye and Uncle Paul's house in Florida because I was homesick! Unfortunately, I will be unable to attend Miss Peggy's funeral, but I will have all of you in my thoughts and Prayers Love, Peggy
- Peggy Wittfeld Jackson, North Myrtle Beach, SC
I had the privilage of working with Mrs. Cory at the Neurological Institute of Savannah for 23 years. I loved her dearly and will remember her fondly. She was a delightful person and I am grateful that I was able to know her.
- Katie Kruse, Richmond Hill, GA
Services under the direction of:
Fox & Weeks Funeral Directors, Hodgson Chapel
912-352-7200
