Mary Angeline (Hastings) Burkey

Mary A. Burkey, formerly of Boardman Ohio, passed away on Dec 7, 2024, at the Tucson Medical Center inpatient hospice after a short illness.  Mary Angeline Hastings was born in her parents’ Marion County Ohio farmhouse on August 8, 1928, the daughter of Sarah Belle and Spear Samuel Hastings.  Her childhood coincided with the Great Depression and World War II.  Mary graduated from the public school in Marseilles Ohio in 1946 and continued her education at Capital University in Columbus Ohio.  She sang with the Capital University Chapel Choir throughout her education and graduated with a degree in Public School Music in 1950.  She taught at Lincoln Junior High in Newark Ohio for the next 4 years.  In 1954 Mary married Donald Wayne Burkey and moved to Youngstown Ohio.   During this period, she became the choir director at the former Bethlehem Lutheran Church on Midlothian Blvd where she served for over 20 years.  Following Donald’s death in 1969, Mary recertified in elementary education and restarted her career as a third-grade teacher at West Boulevard Elementary in Boardman.

     After retirement, Mary remained active in the Youngstown area.  She sang with the Youngstown Symphony Chorus, Seraphim and the Bethel Lutheran Church Choir.  She was also active with the Women’s Committee for Children’s Concerts of the Youngstown Symphony serving both as Program Director and President.  In 2016, Mary moved to Tucson Arizona where she made her home with her son and family.  She viewed this move as a grand adventure and delighted in the mountain views outside her window as changing sun angles painted the landscape vivid colors.

     Mary is preceded in death by her husband Donald, his parents Fred and Alverda, her parents Spear and Sarah, her brother Charles (Marguerite), sister-in-law Ruth E. Burkey and brother-in-law Charles (Erna) Burkey. 

She leaves sons Thomas (Jennifer) of Tucson Arizona and John (Karen) of Streetsboro Ohio and four grandchildren (Aaron, Michael, Sarah and Kathryn).

Family and friends may call from 12 to 1:00 p.m. at the Fox Funeral Home on Monday December 16, 2024.

A funeral service will follow at 1:00 p.m. officiated by Pastor Richard Kidd. Interment will be at Lake Park Cemetery.

Arrangements have been entrusted to the Edward J. Fox & Sons Funeral Home, 4700 Market St. Boardman.

Family and friends of Mary may visit www.foxfuneralhome.org to view this obituary and to leave condolences for the Burkey  family.

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