Mary Jane (“MJ”) Schwab Cote died peacefully on March 20, 2019, surrounded by her loving family in Greenwich, CT.
Born in Brooklyn, N.Y. on Aug. 16, 1932, MJ was the daughter of the late Agnes and Joseph E. Schwab who raised her in Laurelton, N.Y. where she attended Mary Louis Academy in Jamaica Heights, N.Y. before earning her BA in Mathematics in 1953 from Trinity College for Women in Washington, D.C.
MJ was a devoted and tenured member of Saint Michael’s Parish where she attended service regularly.
MJ is survived by her loving husband of 63 years, Dr. Earle Fleming Cote, and her son, Guy Matthew Cote, daughter, Danielle Marie Cote Loomis and her husband, Steve Loomis, and grandson, Leighton Loomis, whom she adored. And please do not forget Gus, her Westie, whom MJ introduces as “dad’s dog.”
An inspired mother and wife, MJ also took an active role in Dr. Cote’s orthodontic practice established when they moved to Greenwich, CT in 1957. Over time, she also served on the board of directors for Greenwich Country Day, the Whitby School and the Greenwich Public Library (where she became the first female President and started Community Answers). She actively participated in the Greenwich Junior League; and she was elected Chairman of the Literacy Volunteers of Fairfield County. MJ also volunteered as a docent at the Natural History Museum in NYC.
MJ was intellectually curious. She adored NYC and all of its mosaic of cultural nuances, including theater, architecture, lectures/courses and beyond. Engaged in the 21 Club, married in St. Patrick’s, and celebrating at the Waldorf, she enjoyed memorable times in iconic places. A visit to the City brought a sparkle to her eye.
A Memorial Service will be held on Saturday, April 27 at 11 a.m., at Saint Michael the Archangel Church, 469 North St., Greenwich.
