Last week, Mary Hulton Phillips was resting in her home, surrounded by her precious objects d'art, when she asked for her copy of the Butler Eagle. She needed to know the news of her beloved hometown, after all.

Now satisfied, she closed her eyes and drifted off, then quietly died — the Eagle in her lap. Her passing was a loss to her family, to her many friends and to her community.

Mary had lived a long and fruitful life. Her personal motto was: "Be of service." Her loyalty to her community was legendary; her generosity was praiseworthy.

Mary already was a member of the General Federation of Women's Clubs when I met her in 1945, when we walked house to house during cold January nights collecting dimes for the March of Dimes. Mary remained a loyal member of the GFWC for more than 60 years.

She especially enjoyed mentoring younger women for service and leadership in that organization — the oldest service organization for women in the world. In 2008, the GFWC of Pennsylvania honored Mary with its prestigious "Be The Change" award for her lifelong support of, and commitment to, the local organizations in her community — from the Butler Area Public Library to Butler Memorial Hospital to the Butler Historical Society, the Butler County Symphony, Butler County Community College, Slippery Rock University and others.

I don't know how many causes she supported philanthropically— and otherwise, as well. Mary liked to be involved in projects; she relished responsibilities and would ask to be assigned the difficult chairmanship.

She was social; she loved being with her family and her friends; she was affectionate; she was hospitable, and she was good company. She actually listened to others and truly cared about other people.

Mary felt confident in her own skin; she knew who she was, yet she also had the "common touch." She loved parties and had a keen sense of humor; she knew how to tell a story and she laughed easily.

Mary would amaze me with her phenomenal memory. I think that's why she never aged, and why she never lost her joie de vivre.

She gave of herself and of her personal fortune to many worthy institutions and organizations. To her hometown, she made a gift of her beautiful museum, The Maridon.

This jewel of a museum is filled with exquisite Chinese and Japanese objects d'art, numbering more than 800 pieces, in addition to a more modern and special collection of Meissen porcelain — all of which Mary had selected over the years.

This museum is Mary's legacy to the city and Butler County. For everything, we thank her.