MAZIE SCHOONMAKER OBITUARY 20 January 2013 Mazie R. Schoonmaker Mazie R. Schoonmaker of East Otis, Mass., 87, passed away peacefully in North Andover, Mass., on January 19, 2013, surrounded by family and loved ones. Mazie was a resident of Northport and parishioner of St. Philip Neri from 1954 to 1990. She was born Mazie Frances Russo on July 9, 1925, in Queens, New York, the daughter of Antonio and Mary (Mazzu) Russo. After graduating from Bishop McDonnell High School , she worked for the Department of the Navy before marrying Charles Schoonmaker, Jr., in 1952. The couple, who resided in Northport, New York, had six children together; Charles predeceased her in 1984. For a number of years, Mazie was the owner and operator of the Northport Diner in Northport. She later ran the lunch program at St. Philip Neri School in Northport and was employed as a supervisor by the Internal Revenue Service in Holtsville, New York until her retirement in 1988. Mazie married Gilbert Rivera in 1991. After retirement, Mazie and Gilbert settled in Otis, MA where she became a leader of the local Council on Aging, serving as Trip Coordinator for many years. Gilbert predeceased Mazie in 2011. Mazie will be remembered for her devotion to her family, and her friends, her amazing organizational skills, and the many parties, trips, and reunions she loved to orchestrate, where all participants joined together to share great food, memorable times, and much love and laughter. Mazie was resilient, grounded in her Catholic faith, and throughout life she remained an optimistic, caring person. Her greatest gifts to her children were her belief in their abilities, her constant encouragement and her unconditional love. Mazie is survived by her daughter Kathleen Schoonmaker and her partner Sandra Pilt of Newburyport, Mass.; her son Charles (Chip) Schoonmaker, III, and his partner, Neal Kane of Boston; her son, Thomas Schoonmaker, of Spring Hill, Florida and his wife, Terry; her daughter, Mary Garrett, of Greenville, South Carolina, and her husband, George; her son, Michael Schoonmaker of Lake Wiley, South Carolina and his wife, Christy; and her son, John Schoonmaker of North Andover, Mass., and his wife, Linda. She is also survived by her stepson, Robert Rivera, and his wife Ann, of Rhode Island, as well as their daughters Jennifer Rivera and Lesley Green. A proud grandmother, Mazie leaves 11 grandchildren: Taylor Schoonmaker, Tess Schoonmaker, Kelly Garrett, Nicole Garrett, Elizabeth Garrett, Victoria Schoonmaker, Michael Schoonmaker, Jr., Maizie Schoonmaker, Charles Schoonmaker, Henry Schoonmaker, and Elliot Schoonmaker. She also leaves her dearest friend of seven decades, Maureen Moloney of Greenwich, Ct. A funeral mass was held at St. Mary of the Lakes Mission in Otis on February 2nd. Internment will be at St. Philip Neri Cemetery on May 4, 2013. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Mazie's honor to Porchlight Visiting Nurse Association, 21 High Street, Lee MA 01238 or to Acting Out Theatre Company, 56 Island Street, Lawrence, MA 01840.