Mary deConingh Emerson

Mary deConingh Emerson died on December 8, 2021, after a period of declining health, at the Hospice of the Western Reserve in Cleveland, Ohio.

She was born on December 23, 1928 in Cleveland to Virginia Mueller deConingh and Edward Hurlbut deConingh, a few minutes ahead of her twin brother, Edward H. (Ted) DeConingh, Jr. Mary, Ted and their younger sister Virginia DeConingh (Frank) Fleming grew up in Shaker Heights, where Mary graduated from Laurel School; she graduated in 1950 from Smith College.

Mary was an active community volunteer with a lifelong commitment to many local educational, cultural and social welfare organizations.  Chief among them were the Boards of Trustees of Laurel School, the Laurel Alumnae Association, and the Benjamin Rose Institute; her service on all three boards included several years as President.  Her many other volunteer commitments included the board of the Mountain School in Vershire, VT, the Junior League of Cleveland, the United Appeal, the Health Fund, the board of the East End Neighborhood House, the Women’s Committee of the Cleveland Orchestra, and membership in the Garden Club of Cleveland and the Smith College Club of Cleveland.  She loved gardening, and was a lifelong enthusiastic competitor on the tennis court and at the bridge table.

But the center of Mary’s life was her family.  She was predeceased by her husband, Oliver Farrar Emerson, to whom she was married for 63 years, and her brother Ted.  She is survived by her sister Virginia Fleming; her four children, Ellen Emerson Nigrosh (Barry); Edward Scott Emerson (Suzanne); Katherine Logan Emerson (Keith McCrae); and David deConingh Emerson (Dawn).  She is also survived by her nine grandchildren and their spouses, Oliver Max Nigrosh (Lori); Samuel Israel Nigrosh; Margaret Randolph Davis; Olivia Emerson Koldenhoven (Nick); Chloe Emerson Hopkins (Austin); Edward Scott Emerson, Jr.; Benjamin Porter Davis; Anna Logan Davis; and Alexander deConingh Emerson; as well as step grandchildren Brett Alexander McCrae (Kate) and Kristen McCrae McMullan (Barrett), and great grandchildren, Charles Levi Nigrosh, Jolie Rae Nigrosh, Lennon June Koldenhoven and Belle Alexandra McCrae. The family prefers that you please consider a donation in her memory to Laurel School, 1 Lyman Circle, Shaker Heights, OH 44122.

Family and friends are invited to attend a Memorial Service at St. Paul's Episcopal Church, 2747 Fairmount Blvd., Cleveland Heights, OH 44106 on Saturday, May 14 at 11 AM.

This service will be live-streamed via a link at the bottom of this web page, beginning approximately fifteen minutes prior to the service.  The recording of the service will be uploaded and available on this web page shortly after the service.