Mary Eckenrode

Mary Crawford Shulley Eckenrode, 83, of Fayetteville, PA, passed away peacefully on Monday morning, January 30, 2017. For the past four years, Mary resided at Falling Spring Nursing and Rehabilitation Center in Chambersburg. Born March 20, 1933 in Knoxville, TN, she was the daughter of Frederick Jacob and Nancy Rhodes (Long) Shulley. From Knoxville, TN, the family moved to Chillicothe, OH. During grade school, Mary lived in Little Rock, AR and later moved to Washington, DC through her junior year in High School. At that time, she and her mother joined her father in Japan. Mary graduated in 1951 from Meguro High School (ASIJ) in Tokyo, Japan. Her father was a professional forester employed by the US government. His work took their family to various locations, but Fayetteville was always considered “home”, between moves, to be with family. Mary completed three years at the University of Maryland as a Home Economics major. She left college to return to Fayetteville to help with care of her father. During her years at the University of Maryland, Mary was a member of the Sigma Kappa Sorority, Beta Zeta Chapter, and had many fond memories of that time in her life. As a young woman, she worked for several years at the former United Telephone Co. in Chambersburg, first as a telephone operator, and then as a Supervisor Instructress. Mary later took on the role of wife, homemaker, mother and grandmother (her granddaughters affectionately called her "Dar"). She became very involved with Calvary United Methodist Church and Girl Scouts of America. She took a special interest in the process and organization of planning events. Mary was a lifelong member of Girl Scouts of America. She was a recipient of Penn Laurel Girl Scout Council’s Penn Laurel Pin and also the highest adult volunteer award, the Thanks Badge.

She is survived by her loving and devoted husband, Joseph Eckenrode of Fayetteville; sister-in-law Mary Jane Rife of Fayetteville; daughters Mary Catherine (Randy) Shaak of Fayetteville and Suzanne (Gerald) Crider of Chambersburg; grandchildren Lauren Elizabeth Shaak and Katherine Allison “Katie” Shaak of Fayetteville, Suzanne Elizabeth “Elise” Crider of Chambersburg, Joshua (Renee) Crider and their son Daniel, and Jonathan (Lauren) Crider and their sons Camden and Hudson, all of Arizona; and a number of nieces and nephews. In addition to her parents, Mrs. Eckenrode was preceded in death by a special aunt, M. Catherine Long; her brother, Frederick “Bud” Shulley; and her grandson, (Mary Catherine’s son) Clark Crawford Egolf.

Friends and family are invited to a viewing from 2:00-4:00 PM Saturday, February 4, 2017 at Thomas L. Geisel Funeral Home and Cremation Center, 333 Falling Spring Road, Chambersburg. A memorial service to celebrate Mary’s life will be held at Calvary United Methodist Church, Fayetteville, PA at 2:00 PM Saturday, March 11, 2017. The family will receive friends one hour prior to the service. Interment will be private.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions in her memory may be made to Cumberland Valley Animal Shelter, 5051 Letterkenny Road West, Chambersburg, PA 17201 or to Calvary United Methodist Church, 150 Norlo Drive, Fayetteville, PA 17222.