Mary Kilpatric

Mary Rita Kilpatric’s Obituary

Mary Rita Kilpatric, age 75, passed away peacefully at home on September 22, 2019 after a long, brave battle with Alzheimer’s disease.  Mary was born in Sewickley, Pennsylvania on June 9, 1944 to Edward (Ned) Hildreth, and Rita McGinley Hildreth.  Mary’s father was a dentist and career naval officer, so Mary and her siblings followed him and Mary’s mother to a number of naval bases, including Guantanamo Bay naval base in Cuba from 1948 to 1951.  Mary graduated from Coronado High School in California in 1962 and received her Bachelor of Arts degree with a major in Physical Education from the University of California, Berkeley in 1966.  At the university, she and Gary Kilpatric met and fell in love.  They were married at the Naval Chapel on Treasure Island, California on December 3, 1966 and started their life of adventure together.  While Gary was serving in Vietnam, Mary received her Graduate Degree in Elementary Education and her teaching credential from the University of California, Berkeley School of Education in 1968.  Upon Gary’s return from his service in Vietnam, Mary and he embarked on a sailing adventure for five months, sailing from the Canary Islands to Brazil.  When they returned Mary became a classroom teacher in San Francisco, teaching grades 1, 2 and 3 in a team-teaching program, while Gary attended law school. 

In 1974 Mary and Gary moved to Santa Fe with their son Daniel, who was just four months old, to raise their family and start careers.  Their daughter Hilary was born in Santa Fe in 1976.  Mary prioritized being a mother above all else and nurtured, supported, and guided her children as well as many other children in the community. She helped coach youth soccer and basketball and was a director and instructor for the pre-school program at Zia Gymnastics.  The parents at EJ Martinez Elementary School raised money to hire her to teach physical education there.  In 1998, as a sales representative for educational materials for the entire state of New Mexico, she was recognized for outstanding achievement as first in the region in sales volume.  Mary also was hired by the New Mexico State Senate as a tour guide and docent to give tours of the State Capitol Building during legislative sessions.

Mary volunteered extensively in Santa Fe with the Orchestra of Santa Fe Guild, the Santa Fe Opera Guild, the Zia Gymnastics Academy Booster club, the New Mexico Children’s Foundation, and the Women’s Board of the Museum of the New Mexico.  Mary practiced fiber arts throughout her life and even made the dress she wore to her University of California graduation.  Mary made vibrant clothing for herself and her husband and taught her daughter and daughter’s friends to sew their own doll clothes.  She knitted and crocheted hats, scarves, sweaters, shawls, and blankets for family and friends, often working on these projects with her knitting group.  She wove tapestries on a standing floor loom she built with her husband.  Mary was an athlete and an adventurer.  She ran two marathons and played tennis and golf, winning awards in both.  She and her husband traveled extensively, hiking, skiing, sailing and scuba diving all over the world, often with their children.  Mary was active in a women’s hiking group and was an enthusiastic member of her book club.

Mary was preceded in death by her parents, Ned and Rita Hildreth, her sister Michelle Young and her niece Octavia Hildreth.   Mary is survived by her loving husband and best friend, Gary, and their two children, Daniel and Hilary; three grandchildren, Zinnia, Zealand, and Gracie; four siblings, Sheila Heyn-Corzine, Linda Morris, Ed Hildreth and Sue Raphael; six nephews and three nieces and many other loving relatives and friends.

Mary will be missed by her family, friends and the entire community because she put others at ease with her kindness, consideration and grace and spread joy with her generosity and wit.  She was intelligent, creative and ready to help others achieve their goals. Mary loved living in Santa Fe.  She was a fun and loving life partner and adventurer who filled the life of her husband Gary with magic.

A celebration of Mary’s life will be held on Saturday, November 2, at 2:00 pm at the Rivera Family Kiva Chapel of Light located at 417 E. Rodeo Road, Santa Fe, New Mexico.  A reception will follow at the Clubhouse at Quail Run located at 3101 Old Pecos Trail, Santa Fe, New Mexico.  In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in her name to the Alzheimer’s Association (http://act.alz.org/goto/marykilpatric) or another cause of your choice.