Mary G. (Grimes) Fairchild

On March 21st  former Canton resident Mary Grimes Fairchild passed away at JFK Medical Center in West Palm Beach following a final battle with breast cancer.  She was 87 years of age.

Born in Towanda, Bradford County, Pennsylvania on November  12, 1927, she was the daughter of James L. and Margaret Dolan Grimes of Wysox.

She graduated from Towanda High School in 1945. Following graduation, Mary worked at Sylvania and Bradford County Welfare Services.

On May 24, 1947 she married L. Paul Fairchild, and together they raised four children. They  enjoyed  61 years of marriage until his death in 2008.

She worked with her husband on the family farm near West Franklin until 1966. At that time the family moved to Canton, where she again worked with her husband,   operating  an independent insurance agency. She continued working following Paul’s retirement, while spending the winter months at their home in Boynton Beach, Florida. In 2000, they moved to Florida permanently.

Mary dedicated her life to her family and helping others. She was a communicant at St. Michael’s Catholic Church in Canton and St. Thomas More in Boynton Beach.  She was a member  and officer of St. Michael’s Altar Rosary Society, organizing and cooking at the fall dinners (making  pies!), manning the church booth at the Apple Cheese Festival and running the pizza stand at the church Summerfest;,    the Canton Civic Club, heading up the Halloween Parade for many years, and Women’s Auxiliary of the VFW.  She was also seen every July at the Canton Fireman’s Fair pizza stand.  As a member of Corey Creek Golf Club, she spent much time playing golf. She was an avid euchre player at the VFW Post 714 in Canton. She will be remembered for times shared with friends while bowling in the Canton league and for the many cards she sent to others during times of celebration and sadness.

She also believed in giving back to others. She volunteered at Troy Community Hospital while living in Canton and later at Bethesda Hospital in Boynton Beach.

She is survived by daughters  Kathy (and Harold “Buzz”) Kennedy of Lewisburg, PA and Julie (and Leo “Skip”) Brownyard of Carlisle, PA; grandchildren Joe (and Clara) Fairchild of Northeast, MD, Sarah (and Jaime) North of Winfield, PA, and Nicole and Casey Brownyard of Carlisle; great-granddaugher Kennedy North; step-grandchildren Lynn (and Mark) Sullivan and Ryan Brownyard; four step-great-grandchildren; extended family  Betsy (and John) Davis of Delaware; brothers James (and Barbara) Grimes and Robert (and Patricia) Grimes of Wysox and sister-in-law Thelma Parks of Towanda.

She was preceded in death by her husband, her parents, sons Jim and Lenny Fairchild and in-laws Dutch and Louise Fairchild; Lee and Janet Fairchild, Howard and Ruth Raynor,  George and Helen Fairchild, and Clay Fairchild.

Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated 11 o’clock a.m. Thursday, March 26th, 2015 at St Michael’s Roman Catholic Church, N. Washington St at E. Union St., Canton, with Fr. Michael McCormick, celebrant.  There will be a time of visitation in the church narthex one hour prior to mass.  Interment will follow in the parish cemetery.

 Service Information