Obituaries

Mary grew up in Upper Montclair, New Jersey with her parents and brother. Her father was the minister at The Presbyterian Church of Upper Montclair and they lived in the parsonage on the church property. Mary graduated from Westminster College in Pennsylvania where she received a bachelor’s degree in education and was a member of the Theta Sigma Omicron sorority. She began teaching in an elementary school in New Jersey the fall of 1953 and taught there until 1956. She married Frank Legge on June 25, 1955.  Together, they had four children. The family moved to Richardson, Texas in 1971. Though their relationship was not permanent, Mary and Frank remained friends. 

Mary began teaching again in the fall of 1976 at Callier School for the Deaf and Blind through UTD, where she worked with physically and intellectually disabled children. She then taught elementary school in Princeton Texas, followed by Roundtree Elementary and Reed Elementary in Allen Independent School District. During her career in Allen, she taught special education and third grade. She obtained a Master of Science in Human Development and Early Childhood Disorders at the University of Texas at Dallas. She was also a member of several organizations including American Business Women’s Association and Epsilon Lambda Chapter of Alpha Delta Kappa. Using her education and skills, she had significant impact on many students and families. She loved her students and their families and remained in contact with many of them throughout her life.

She retired from teaching in the spring of 1996. After retirement, she turned her energy to her grandchildren and to charity work. She loved having her grandchildren with her. Every New Year’s Eve, all the grandchildren would have a sleep over at Grandma’s house while the parents celebrated the New Year. She also had a passion for charity. Her most notable volunteer activities were with Family Outreach in Richardson. She served many families that needed help. She was able to utilize her skills as a teacher in many of these cases. 

She was very involved with her church family at Canyon Creek Presbyterian Church. She was appointed as a deacon in 2002. She expressed her love for her relationships in this congregation frequently. Her friends at Canyon Creek Presbyterian Church continued to encourage and visit her up to her passing.

Mary is preceded in death by her mother and father Joseph C. Dickson and Bertha Dickson and brother Joseph C. Dickson II. She is survived by her former spouse Frank Legge (Gaynor) of Dallas, daughter Ellen Garfield of Fort Worth, daughter Karen Howarton (Doak) of Greenville, son Eric Legge of Grapevine, and daughter Nancy Brown (Jeff) of Murphy; and grandchildren Tiffany McGlothlin (Todd), Jennifer Garfield (Kyle), Amber Burroughs (Chris), Jessica Tepp (Sean), Melissa Stivers (Eddie), Katie Prutsman (Tristan), Nicole Brown, Cody Brown (Gabbie), Easton Legge, Joshua Legge, and Hannah Howarton; and great grandchildren Gracie Sutphin, Faith Sutphin, Penny Burroughs, Jackson Stivers, Audrey Stivers, Salem Howarton, and Elijah Brown; and nieces and nephew Jean Anne Rose, Patty Rosinski, Mary Jane Trainor, Craig Dickson, and Jenny Fletcher. All whom she loved dearly.

Her ashes were interred on Good Friday, April 18, 2025 at Mount Hebron Cemetery in Montclair New Jersey where she was laid to rest with her mother, father and brother.

A celebration of life will be held at Canyon Creek Presbyterian Church in Richardson, Texas on Friday, April 25, 2025 at 11am. Click here to view the livestream of the service.