Mary Magdaline Christine Saray Massar was born to Andrew and Marie Saray in Ciganovce, Czechoslovakia on Sept. 21, 1936, while her parents were there visiting relatives. She grew up in Jersey City, the youngest of three siblings, and stepped up as homemaker for her father and brother at the age of 10, when her mother was hospitalized with long-term illness.  Her father enrolled her in a Catholic school, and the nuns took her under their wing.  She lost her father before graduating high school and lived with her older brother and his wife for a time.  

After high school, she commuted from Jersey City on the ferry to lower Manhattan, where her head for numbers and engaging personality had landed her a bank job.  She was also a member of the Sokol in Boonton, New Jersey, where she participated in gymnastics.  She met her future husband, George Massar, when they both represented the Sokol in a gymnastics exhibition.  

Mary wasn’t afraid to fly in George’s small plane, so they often flew to Atlantic City, D.C., and even Texas, guided at night by the fires atop the petroleum wells.  Mary and George were married on Oct. 27, 1956, the beginning of a long, loving, complementary partnership.  

Mary had her children in rapid succession, four within five years.  It was a happy, crazy, busy household filled with laughter, activity, and friends.  A sign in Mary’s kitchen stated, “This house is clean enough to be healthy, and dirty enough to be happy.”  Her children cherish memories of cozy story times, cherry dumplings and chicken fricassee, spontaneous trips in the family van (the 6-M Company), and Slovak folk songs.  When the children were older, Mary went back to work, first in the middle school guidance counselor office, then an administrator in the main office, and then in the high school as a computer coordinator.  She ran for Monroe Tax Collector in 1989, won, and in the following years straightened out a catastrophic mess for the town. 

Mary created special family traditions for birthdays and holidays that continue to be passed on. She was a deeply ethical person with very strong opinions that she did not hesitate to share.  She was a hard worker with exceedingly high expectations for herself and others.  She was a person who saw what needed to be done and went ahead and did it – often under the radar. She had an infectious laugh, a sense of mischief, and took great pleasure in “the little things” – the first cup of coffee, bluebirds in the birdhouse, a hushed snowfall, pancakes for dinner.   

In retirement, she worked with George at the local golf course for free golf.  She loved jumping in the car with George to visit children and grandchildren in Connecticut, South Carolina or Maine.  She was smart, creative, and musical, with the voice of an angel, often asked to perform solos as a girl and young woman, and always singing around the house. She loved watching the hummingbirds at her feeder.  She believed in personal responsibility and pie for breakfast.  Family was her lifelong priority.  She adored her children, her grandchildren, and great-grandchildren.  She treasured the time she spent with them through the growing years and took great delight in all their varied talents and achievements.  She was also the rock to which they clung through the inevitable challenges and misfortunes of life.  She was the heart of the family, the sun that warmed and nourished them all.  She was deeply loved and respected by all who knew her well. She died peacefully in Maine on March 13, 2026. 

She was predeceased by her beloved husband of 67 years, George Massar, and George’s three brothers and their wives; by her sister, Magdalene and her husband Joseph Brown; her brother Bernard and his wife Marion; and her grandson, Eric Massar. 

She is survived by her daughter Ella and husband Jeff Long; son Andrew and wife Karen Massar; son Thomas and wife Mary Massar; son Steven and wife Sharon Massar; by her grandchildren Erica, Kristin, and Sophie Long; Andrew (Brooke), Thomas, Christopher, and Michael (Kayla) Massar; Andrea (Matt) Kostinas, Stephen Massar, and Sarah Massar; Timothy (Sabrina) Stehly; Hannah and Ben Massar; and great-grandchildren Salvatore, Sebastian, and soon-to-be Stella Rose Massar; Ryan, Benjamin, and Mason Kostinas; and Kieran and Parker Stehly, as well as a host of nieces, nephews, and their families.  She will be greatly missed. 

Special thanks to the staff of St. Andrews Assisted Living of Boothbay Harbor Maine, and to the Beacon Hospice Team.  Mary and her family greatly appreciated your cheerful, kind, competent care, and she so enjoyed getting to know some of you during her time there.  You brightened her days and kept her comfortable in the end. You are angels on earth. 

Arrangements are under the care of Hall Funeral Home and Cremation Services. To share a memory or condolence with the Massar family, visit www.hallfuneralhomes.com.