Mary Louise (Porch) Frechtling died peacefully at her home in Bethesda, Md., on September 9, 2013 at the age of 98.

She was born in Littleton, Colo., grew up in Wilmington, Del., and graduated from Tower Hill School in 1931. She graduated from Vassar College in 1935 and was a member of Phi Beta Kappa. She subsequently pursued a graduate degree at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, working in the research lab of the James Buchanan (“Diamond Jim”) Brady Institute.

She was married for 60 years to Dr. Louis E. Frechtling, U.S. State Department official, until his death in 2000. Mary was an avid international traveler, line dancer, swimmer and bridge player into her mid-90s.

Mary spent may summers in Boothbay Harbor, starting in 1925 when her parents began renting a log cottage in Sprucewold. Later a home was purchased on Pear Street.

She is survived by her son, Douglas Frechtling of Bethesda, Md.; daughter, Susan Stewart of Boothbay Harbor and Cabin John, Md., sister, Margaret Lounsbury of Boothbay Harbor and Wilmington, Del.; grandson, Daniel Frechtling of Clyde Hill, Wash.; and three great-grandsons.

Service and interment will be held at Arlington National Cemetery.