Obituary of Mary M. Heslin

Mary Margaret Hawley Heslin, 80, of Johnson City, NY, passed away peacefully on Friday, November 15, 2024. Born on September 12, 1944, in Binghamton, NY, to the late John P. (Jack) Hawley and Catherine (Kitty) McCabe Hawley, Mary was the oldest of five children. She was predeceased by her husband of nearly 27 years, Thomas B. Heslin, also of Binghamton, NY. Mary grew up on St. John Avenue in Binghamton and spent many childhood summers at her family's cottage, that her father and grandfather built, on Laurel Lake. She was a proud graduate of the 1962 class of St. Patrick's Academy and went on to earn her Associates Degree from Keystone Junior College. Over the years she held various administrative positions through employers that included IBM, Horseheads Central School District, Vestal High School, Lourdes Hospital and Canon. Mary loved music, dancing, cooking, professional hockey and baseball, political banter and the Peanuts, especially Snoopy. She found great joy in singing 'Happy Birthday' to many a family member – in person and over the phone – throughout the years. She relished her travels visiting her children as well her adventures with Tom in Wildwood Crest, Ocean City, MD, Myrtle Beach, Maine, Nova Scotia and Ireland. Mary was devoted to the Catholic Church and thoroughly cherished her time spent with family and friends. She will be lovingly remembered by her children: Julie Purtell (Daniel Wimer) and Robert Purtell (Lee Ann) and grandchild, Pierce Wimer. She is survived by four siblings: Katherine Haley, Michael Hawley, Janice Toolan and John Hawley; many nephews and nieces as well as great-nephews and nieces and very dear friends in Binghamton and Horseheads and at Centennial Station in Warminster, PA. The family would like to extend their gratitude to the entire Heslin Family for their love and support of Mary over the years and specifically to Tom's children: Jennifer Woolslayer (Robert), Brendan Heslin (Pina), Matthew Heslin (Ingrid) and grandchildren: Cay, Christopher and Courtney. They would also like to express their heartfelt thanks to all of the staff at United Methodist Homes for the compassionate care they provided to Mary during her time at the Hilltop Campus. A Funeral Mass will be offered at St. Patrick's Church, corner of Oak and Leroy Streets, Binghamton, Saturday November 23, 2024 at 9:30 a.m. Burial will be in Calvary Cemetery, Johnson City. The family will receive friends at the J.A. McCormack Sons Funeral Home, 141 Main Street, Binghamton, Friday from 3 to 6 p.m. In lieu of flowers, expressions of sympathy in Mary's memory may be made to The Lourdes Hospital Foundation, 169 Riverside Drive, Binghamton, NY 13905 or St. Patrick's Church, 9 Leroy Street, Binghamton NY 13905.