Mary Kallin Kaye

Mary Kallin Kaye of Littleton passed peacefully on January 2, 2014 at Carleton Willard Village in Bedford, surrounded by her family. She was born in St. Paul, Minnesota on Christmas Eve, an early Christmas gift to her father and mother, the late Elton and Marcella McCarthy Kallin. She was married to the late Charles Kaye, her husband of over 50 years, with whom she raised 4 wonderful children in Littleton. Mary and Charlie were a dynamic team in the life of the town of Littleton, making significant contributions in the civic, volunteer and political arenas.
Mary grew up in St. Paul, Minnesota in a large circle of caring family and friends. While there, she attended Derham Hall High School and St .Catherine's and the University of Minnesota. She boldly returned later in her life to graduate from Wellesley College.
Her lifelong passions were family, faith, flowers and community service.
At St. Anne Church, her 40 year ministry was crafting magnificent floral installations year round with particular gusto for Easter and Christmas. She created the Meditation Garden, a sanctuary of peace and reflection. She was a member of the Sodality and served on the Baptismal Committee. She played a role in the Cardinal appeal and was a Eucharist Minister.
Since its inception in 1972, she was a Board Member of the Littleton Council on Aging, and was recently named as its first Emeritus Member. She was also a long-standing member of Littleton Country Gardeners and the Littleton Historical Committee.
Her appreciation of the Arts led to a long-term commitment to Indian Hill Music of Littleton. She sat on the Board of Directors from 1999-2005, and again from 2010-2013. She was an ambassador for a range of Indian Hill interests from Garden Tour Committee to Fundraising.
She also served on the Board of Directors of the Nashoba Valley Medical Center, for over 20 years.
She sat on the Board of Incorporators for the Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children Association.
She combined her love of art and flowers as a Patron Committee member of the Museum of Fine Arts, where she designed floral arrangements for their Art in Bloom event. She was a docent at the MFA with expertise in French and Asian art.
Mary was the owner of Mary Kallin Kaye Designs; a floral and landscaping design business. She exhibited an installation of her design at the Boston Flower Show.
She assumed an active role in promoting educational initiatives for both private and public schools. She sat on the Board of Trustees of the Catholic Schools Foundation, spearheading their Inner-CIty Scholarship Fund. She was instrumental in fundraising for Harvard, Wheaton College and Lawrence Academy, where her children attended school.

She leaves behind her loving children, Kathleen Mary Kaye of Washington, DC, Charles F. Kaye Jr. of Charlottesville, VA, and Granada, Nicaragua, Gretchen Mary Kaye-Crowley of NY, Laura Kallin Kaye of Acton, Mass. She has 9 grandchildren, on whom she doted; Shaw, Christian, and Kaye McKean. Banks and Willa Kaye. Matthew, Pierce and Forbes Crowley. Greyson Kaye- Flemming.

A funeral Mass will be held Saturday January 10th, at_11 a.m. at St. Anne Church, 75 King St., Littleton. Reception at St. Anne Church following internment at Westlawn Cemetery. Visiting hours will be held Friday January 9, at the Badger Funeral Home, 347 King Street, Littleton, from 2-4 p.m. and 7-9.p.m.
Please see www. badgerfuneral.com

In lieu of flowers a contribution can be made in memory of Mary Kallin Kaye to Indian Hill Music of Littleton (www.indianhillmusic.org) Indian Hill Music, P.O. Box 1484 Littleton, MA 01460 or Catholic Schools Foundation, Inner-City Scholarship Fund (csfboston.org). Thank you.