Obituary of Mary F. Grover

~~GROVER – Mary Cecelia (Fullerton), widow of former U. S. Representative James R. Grover, Jr., passed away peacefully at the age of 97 at her home in Babylon Village on December 8, 2017. She is survived by her four loving children, Nancy Grover and her husband Thierry de Chatrette of Wilton, CT, Jean Hand and her husband Richard of Brightwaters, James Robert Grover and his wife Michelle of West Islip, and Jill Hoyler and her husband Charles III of West Islip. She was the treasured grandmother of Jason Hand, Brendan Hand, Meghan (Hand) Lambert, James Grover, Justin Grover, Charles James Hoyler IV, Jonathan Hoyler, and Stephanie de Chatrette, and a wonderful great-grandmother to fourteen. She is also survived by several nieces and nephews and their children. Mary was predeceased by her beloved husband James in 2012, by her twin sister Margaret Voorhies in 2014, and by their younger sister Helen Shewbridge in 1980.

Born in Brooklyn in 1920, the daughter of Daniel and Margaret (Brown) Fullerton, Mary moved to Babylon Village with her family as a young teenager, and attended Babylon High School, where she met her future husband, the love of her life. She graduated from Babylon High School in 1938, and from Hofstra College in 1942. 

Mary was devoted to her family and her community. She was a founding member of the Altar Society at St. Joseph Roman Catholic Church in Babylon Village, where she and her "Jimmy" were married in 1943, and where she remained a faithful parishioner until her death. Together with her twin sister Margie, she volunteered at Good Samaritan Hospital in West Islip from its opening in 1959 until she retired in 2009. She also volunteered at the Suffolk County Chapter of the American Red Cross. Mary worked alongside her husband in support of his diligent efforts to ensure the renovation and relighting of the Fire Island Lighthouse for the U.S. Bicentennial in 1976. She and her husband of 69 years were longtime members of Babylon Yacht Club and of Southward Ho Country Club.   

Reposing at The Fredrick J. Chapey & Sons West Islip Funeral Home, 1225 Montauk Highway (1/4 mile west of the Robert Moses Causeway). Visiting Monday 2:00 PM until 4:30 PM and 7:00 PM until 9:30 PM. Celebration of the Liturgy of Christian Burial Tuesday 10:00 AM at St. Joseph Roman Catholic Church, 39 North Carll Avenue, Babylon, LI. Interment to follow at St. Joseph Cemetery, Babylon Village, LI. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations in Mary’s name be made to the Fire Island Lighthouse Preservation Society, 1 Burma Road, Fire Island, NY 11702, or to Good Shepherd Hospice, 110 Bi-County Blvd, Suite 114, Farmingdale, NY 11735.  WWW.CHAPEYFAMILY.COM