Mary Louise Smallwood Dale

After a long struggle with Breast Cancer & Alzheimer’s Disease, Mary Louise Smallwood Dale, 76, passed away on December 23, 2019 at Brooks-Howell Home in Asheville, NC.

Mary was born in Lancaster, PA, on July 20^th, 1943, to Charles E. Sr. & Flo (Young) Smallwood of Christiana, PA.  She was the twin sister of Melinda Lee who preceded her in death in 2007.  They were graduates of Octorara Area High School in Atglen, PA. Mary and Melinda were the first twins to graduate from Harrisburg Hospital School of Nursing. Mary completed her Bachelor of Science degree in nursing at Lebanon Valley College in Annville, PA.

After graduating from Nurses Training, Mary moved to Wilmington, DE with her sister to work in the operating room at Wilmington Hospital. She continued to work in operating rooms for the rest of her career. She became the Head Nurse in the Operating Rooms of Brandywine Hospital in Coatesville, PA; Lancaster Osteopathic Hospital in Lancaster, PA; the VA Hospital in Wilmington, DE; and the Celebration Hospital in Orlando, FL.  

On July 10, 1965, Mary married the love of her life Kenneth Dale. They were married for 45 years until Kenny’s death in 2010.   Mary & Ken spent most of their married life in Parkesburg, PA.  After Kenny retired, they moved to Orlando, FL where they were closer to his mother, Emmy Dale, and his sister, Donna Dale. After Kenny passed she moved to The Villages in Florida.

She is survived by her son, Michael (Asheville, NC), daughter-in-law Meghan (Flynn) and grandson, Bowie; and her son Shawn (Pacifica, CA), daughter-n-law Abby (Westlund), grandson, Axel, and granddaughter, Alice. Mary is also survived by her sister, Denise S. Miller (Wilmington, DE), brother, Charles E. Smallwood, Jr. (Cochranville, PA), sister-in-law, Marcia Geedy Smallwood; and sister-in-law, Donna Dale (Sanford, FL).

Mary was a member of the Chris Penn Chapter #455, Order of the Eastern Star of Christiana, PA where she served as Past Matron. She was a member of Parkesburg United Methodist Church for many years where she enjoyed singing in the choir.    

Among Mary’s many loves were her family, creating a beautiful home, being a FABULOUS cook, and setting a beautiful table. Mary & Ken enjoyed spending holidays with their best friends, Dick & Pat Barron, and summer vacations with their family at their favorite place, Kiawah Island in South Carolina. She absolutely adored her grandchildren and couldn’t wait for her next trip to visit them.  Always the devoted daughter she stopped in Christiana every day on her way home from working in Lancaster to visit her mother, Flo. Many Saturdays Mary would take Flo to Costco in Lancaster and then meet up with her sisters, “Linnie”(her twin) and Neicie, at Issac’s for lunch. Oh, the stories they would tell and the laughter that ensued! “Fashionista” that Mary was (she was always “dressed to the NINES”), her family joked that when Mary passed, her favorite store, Chico’s, covered their windows with black streamers in mourning. She really knew how to put an outfit together! At the top her list of hobbies was SHOPPING!

Her family wants to extend their thanks and appreciation to Drs. Bob & Jan Tindall, formerly of Gap, PA, who were such wonderful friends and caretakers to Mary as she declined when she lived at The Villages. They enabled her to continue her lifestyle there as long as it was possible. They also wish to extend their thanks to the staff of Brooks-Howell Home for the wonderful care and compassion they provided to Mary in her last days.

A funeral service is planned for Saturday, November 27, 2021, at the Parkesburg United Methodist Church, 411 Main St., Parkesburg, PA. Visitation will be from 9 AM to 10 AM. Mary’s service will follow at 10 AM. Interment will be at Sadsbury Friends Meeting House Cemetery on Simmontown Road, Christiana, PA.

Contributions in Mary’s memory may be made to the Alzheimer’s Association – http://www.alz.org  (225 N. Michigan Avenue, Floor 17, Chicago, IL 60601)