Mary L. (Campany) Generous

CROGHAN, NY ~ Mary L. Generous, 94, formerly of Croghan and Cazenovia, NY, died peacefully on Tuesday, January 27, 2015, at The Jewish Home of Central New York, Menorah Park, in Syracuse, NY, where she had resided since October, 2012.

Born January 31, 1920 in Croghan, NY, a daughter of Elmer N. and Jessie E. Bush Campany, she was educated at the former Father Leo Memorial High School in Croghan, where she was the Valedictorian of her 1937 graduating class.  Following high school she attended Canton ATC for a year, after which she entered Nurse’s Training at St. Elizabeth’s Hospital in Brighton, MA, from where she graduated first in her class with an RN Degree in 1943.

A WWII veteran, she entered the Army Nurse Corps of the US Army Air Force, at Mitchell Field, Long Island in February, 1944, and served at Mitchell and in Westover, MA with the 110 Base Unit until she was honorably discharged as a Second Lieutenant on November 7, 1945.

Mary met her husband, Alfred R. Generous, a WWII US Army pilot, while taking care of him after he was severely injured when a B-17 he was commanding crashed at Drew Field in Tampa, Florida.  They were married on August 14, 1945, at St. Stephen’s Church in Croghan with the Rev. Amadeus Burke, OFM, officiating.  Mr. Generous died on October 8, 2003.

She lived with her family in Portland, CT from 1951 until 1971, when they moved to Croghan. She had resided in Cazenovia since 2002.

In 1971, after she had spent much of her life working as a fulltime homemaker taking care of her large family, Mary resumed her career as a Registered Nurse working primarily in various nursing homes in the area and as an RN at Hallmark Nursing Home in Carthage from where she retired in 1977.

Mary was a former communicant of St. Stephen’s Church in Croghan, where she was also a member of its Rosary Society, was a Eucharistic Minister, served as Head of its Religious Education Board, and taught Religious Education.  She was a current communicant of St. James Church in Cazenovia.

She was an avid reader and sports fan, especially any sports to do with the City of Boston, and she particularly enjoyed vegetable gardening and knitting.

Surviving are four sons and their spouses, Robert A. and Sally Generous, of Syracuse, NY, Edward J. and Susan Generous, of Cheshire, CT, Martin P. and Cynthia Generous, of Freemont, NH, and Oliver E. Generous, of Cheshire, CT; four daughters and three sons-in-law, Mary E. and Robert Smith, of Portville, NY, Barbara J. and Paul Doty, of Chelmsford, MA, Teresa A. Generous, of Spokane, WA, and Renee C. and James Joseph, of Cazenovia, NY; 23 grandchildren and 25 great grandchildren; a sister, Alice (Courts) Perry, of Texas, and several nieces and nephews.

In addition to her loving husband of 58 years, she was predeceased by three sons, Daniel C. Generous, who died in 1992, Stephen Generous, who died in infancy, and John D. Generous, who died in 2011; two brothers, Anthony “Butch” Campany, and John Gilbert Campany, and two sisters, Katherine Johnson and Doris Kapfer.  

Calling hours will be held on SATURDAY, January 31, 2015, from 1-4 p.m. at Scanlon Funeral Home, Croghan.  

Mary’s funeral will be held on Monday, February 2, 2015, with a Mass of Christian Burial at 12 Noon from St. James Catholic Church, 6 Green St., in Cazenovia, NY 13035.  Preceding her funeral Mass, there will be calling hours from 10:00 a.m. until 12 Noon at the church (St. James).

Her burial with military honors will be held in the Spring in St. Stephen’s Cemetery, Croghan.

Memorial Donations may be made to The Arc, Oneida-Lewis Chapter, 245 Genesee St., Utica, NY 13501, or, March of Dimes, 1001 James St., Syracuse, NY 13203.

Online obituary and messages of condolence at www.scanlonfuneral.com

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