Mary Ann O'Grady

Mary Ann “Ming” Kenner DuPont O’Grady, 94, of Louisville, Georgia, passed away on August 3, 2020 in Evans, Georgia, with her daughter Patricia Easterlin by her side.  A private family funeral will be held in Savannah on Friday, August 7th at Greenwich Cemetery, with a memorial mass to be held at a later date. 

Born July 29, 1926 in Washington, D.C., Mrs. O’Grady attended Blessed Sacrament School in Chevy Chase, MD, Georgetown Visitation Preparatory School, Bethesda-Chevy Chase High School, and St. Joseph’s College in Emmitsburg, MD where she received her B.S. in English with emphasis in Journalism.  She married John L. DuPont at Our Lady of Lourdes in Bethesda, Maryland in 1950 and together they raised their five children in Dearborn, Michigan; Wilmington, Delaware; and Potomac, Maryland, before retiring to Savannah, Georgia in 1980 where they enjoyed the beauty of Skidaway Island for seven years before his passing in 1988.  Mary Ann, or “Ming” as she was called, then met and married retired Foreign Service Officer Walter J. O'Grady with whom she traveled widely. They shared their home with their beloved dogs and enjoyed frequent visits from their combined large family, particularly at Christmas.

Although primarily a homemaker, Mrs. O’Grady also held a number of legal and medical secretarial positions throughout her life.  A writer at heart, she found many volunteer opportunities that utilized her natural ability.  In addition to writing the stories and memories of her youth in Bethesda, Maryland, she wrote newsletters for the Sisters of Charity in Potomac, Maryland, articles for the newsletter at Skidaway Oceanographic Institute, and later edited an herbal cookbook for the Coastal Georgia Herb Society.  After retiring from her secretarial position at Clark and Clark Law Firm, she returned full time to many of her favorite past times.

Ming never met anyone she did not want to talk to with interest and pleasure.  She embraced new things with enthusiasm and particularly in retirement enjoyed photographing the beautiful natural world of the Georgia coast, volunteering at Telfair Art Museum, antiquing, crafting, cooking and gardening.  Having been a lifelong antique collector and a docent at both Telfair in Savannah and Winterthur in Wilmington, Delaware, her knowledge of American and English antiques was vast, and she could often be found browsing antique shops.  In fact, a quick U-turn for an antique store on the other side of the street was a common occurrence when driving with “Ming.”  She read cookbooks like they were novels, first page to the last.  She loved returning to the coast of Maine, a place her mother had also loved, and enjoying the sea, the lobster rolls, and the local art galleries and bookstores. Joy and beauty were among her favorite things, which she both passionately sought and happily shared with others. 

Mrs. O’Grady is preceded in death by her husband of 19 years, Walter J. O’Grady, and her husband of 37 years, John Larsen DuPont, as well as infant son Daniel William, her sister Clare Kenner Hill ( William, Jr.), her brother Harry Kenner (Brigid), her step-daughter Kathleen O’Grady (Lindy Brannen), and her parents Margaret Clare and Harry Roland Kenner. 

She is survived by her five children, Margaret C. DuPont, John B. DuPont, Patricia D. Easterlin (Bill), Mary Brux DuPont, Dorsey DuPont; and step-son Daniel O’Grady (Debi); her grandchildren, Laurie DuPont Waite (Jimmy), Jennifer DuPont Foor (Buco), William Warfield Easterlin (Jillian), Clare Carswell Easterlin (Allen), Frank Larsen O. Easterlin, Erin O’Grady Wong (Bryson), Caitlin O’Grady (Matthew Wrelton), and Wendy O’Grady Forgacs (John Hayes); her great-grandchildren, Lydia DuPont, Lillian Foor, Tristan Waite, William F. Easterlin, Ayla Rose Easterlin, Rose and Grace Kazak, and many nieces and nephews.  

Mrs. O’Grady’s family would like to thank the entire administration and staff at Marshall Pines Assisted Living and Dementia Care for their kind devotion to her care.  They would also like to thank Mrs. O’Grady’s early caregivers without whom she could not have stayed home as long as she did:  Connie Peters, Jeanette Thompson, and Betty Seafus. 

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Alzheimer’s Association or any animal rescue group. 

Taylor Funeral Home and Cremation Care of Louisville and the Fox & Weeks Funeral Directors, Hodgson Chapel, of Savannah are in charge of arrangements.

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