Obituary of Mary Leiter

Mary Elizabeth Leiter peacefully passed away on June 23, 2012 at the age of 83 in her home in Sunnyside, Queens. Born October 30, 1928 Mary was raised in New York City and Long Island, the oldest of 3 children (younger brothers Andrew and Steven), to parents Andrew Foy and Helen Leinart. Mary attended Hunter College in 1947 and was involved in the arts as a singer and performer in many theatrical productions, which continued throughout her life. Mary graduated and became a NYC public school teacher, sharing her love for literature and writing with her students. Mary married in 1959 and had 2 children, Brian and later David. Her lifelong love of learning and literature led her to earn a Ph.D. in English at Fordham University with a dissertation on Thomas Carlyle. She went on to be a college professor at C.W. Post on Long Island. Always excited to experience new and different cultures, she traveled extensively to many countries, including England, France, Germany, Austria, Russia, Czechoslovakia, Argentina, and Egypt among others. She studied languages up until the last few years including Italian and German. She loved to take classes on various subjects and go into Manhattan to see performances of all types. She was always on the move. She shared her creative passion through her many short stories, performances in singing groups such as the Gilbert and Sullivan society, and playing the piano and recorder. Mary shared a deep love for the Opera and Classical Music, and was a 20+ year season ticket holder to the Metropolitan Opera. Later in life, Mary was deeply interested in spiritualism. She studied and spoke on the subject extensively both here and abroad. Mary was a spirited, courageous lady who enriched the lives of those who knew her by sharing her love of knowledge. She was always laughing and finding the amusement in life. She would tell the stories of great literature and opera, remembering every detail and finding the beauty in the art. Mary cultivated very close friendships with many people, and was always sure to write on people's birthdays and send gifts. She had a wide circle of people who knew and loved her because of her openness to conversation and her consideration and love of her friends and family. Mary kept a treasure chest of historical pictures and data on her family dating back to the late 1800's. Forever in our hearts, she will be greatly missed. Her two sons Brian and David, her granddaughter Celia, her two grandsons, Samuel and William, and her brother Andrew and her nieces Christine and Lenore, survive her.