1930 – 2022
Mary Ann Chidsey, 92, of Greenwich, CT died December 2022 after an illness.
Mary Ann was born on August 27, 1930 in Clinton, Iowa and shortly thereafter her family moved to Chicago. Her academic excellence was immediately evident. As a high school junior, she was selected for a program for high school students to attend a full schedule of undergraduate classes at the University of Chicago. After two years at Chicago, she then enrolled at Swarthmore College.
After graduation, she set out for New York City and in a discussion with a recruiter, stated that the only company she wanted to work for was Time Inc. She secured a job as a researcher and editorial assistant at Life and Time magazines and had a terrific experience working for these great publications during the period of their greatest popularity and influence. Later in her career she returned to Time Inc. to work as the assistant to the managing editor at TV-Cable Week and also worked at Fortune.
Throughout her life, she considered herself a “Time Inc’er” and was so proud to have been part of this respected company, returning for alumni events to see old friends and reminisce about the excitement and glamour of this chapter in her life.
In 1958 Mary Ann married Glen Chidsey and moved to Old Greenwich, Connecticut where they had three sons: John Clark Chidsey (deceased), David Ash Chidsey, and Alan Clark Chidsey. She was an involved and dedicated mother, baking birthday cakes, attending soccer games, shuttling her son to skating sessions and hockey games, editing school papers and doing all she could in support of her children. She made great efforts to find the best activities, programs, camps and colleges that would help her children succeed.
Mary Ann volunteered for many local organizations including the Cub Scouts, the OGRCC and the Junior League. Her greatest contribution was to the First Congregational Church where she served as director of the Sunday school. She did a remarkable job, not only managing the Sunday classes but skillfully organizing young children and volunteer teachers for plays, concerts and art fairs. Later, Mary Ann worked at the YMCA as the assistant to the Director during the fundraising for and construction of the new Y building.
In her retirement Mary Ann continued her support of her children and welcomed the arrival of her son David’s daughter Ellie. She treasured visits with Ellie and loved following Ellie’s successes as an excellent student and athlete at Waynflete School in Portland, Maine. Later, she was thrilled to watch the broadcast of Ellie’s graduation from Whitman College. She was full of love and immensely proud of her granddaughter.
Even into her 90s, she remained active, and with her son Alan, loved taking trips into New York City, going for walks in local parks, dining out on Greenwich Avenue or enjoying frequent dinners on the deck of the Old Greenwich Yacht Club. She loved when her son David, his wife Rachel and granddaughter Ellie would join her and Alan for her birthday dinner at the club.
She was a kind and wonderful individual, devoted to and supportive of her children, delighted by the accomplishments of her granddaughter, and always had a cheerful smile for neighbors and friends. We will miss her terribly. Love you Mom.
