DEAN MARY B. EMERY shares a laugh with Santa Clara University President Michael Engh, S.J., following Santa Clara Law's 2011 Commencement in May. Charles B arry
Mary was a lifelong Catholic who was as deeply spiritual about her faith as she was practical about the need of the Church to serve and care for the religious needs of women, the poor, gays and lesbians and others. Mary was a “big tent” person— always believing that our institutions—be they the church or the law school—must reach out to serve and nurture those in our communities and society who need it most. Mary liked beautiful things, the theater, and shopping for clothes and jewelry. She commented to several friends that she aspired to be the oldest woman alive to wear leather pants. Some of her greatest pleasures were her trips to New York with great friends like Cynthia Mertens and Jennifer Konecny that included six or seven plays in a row, her global gallivanting trips with Tom and Karen Breen, including a trip to London and Oxford just a couple of weeks ago, and her international shopping trips to London and Italy with her niece, Sarah Birmingham. And, the hours she and Bob Peterson spent closeted in a small office reading applicant files and building the next year’s class, and the close friendship with Allison Heish and Mary Zimmerman, sharing a glass of wine and pleasant conversation. These were her best of times. Deep and sustaining friendships enmeshed with the things she loved to do—these were the elixir of Mary’s life, sustaining her through the loss of her most loved partner, John, and several family members and close friends. Mary made friends for life, and hers was a deep and nurturing friendship. If you were her friend, you could count on her for anything at any time. We will remember, and will miss, that wicked smile, that cackle that let you know that she loved you and your sense of humor, those beautiful eyes peering over her fashionable eyewear,
letting you know that she saw into your heart and liked what she saw. We are blessed to have drunk deeply from the seemingly bottomless pool of love that was Mary Emery. Note: This is an edited version of the eulogy given by Don Polden at the memorial service held for Mary Emery at Mission Santa Clara on August 12, 2011. For a link to the online memorial, which includes the full text of his talk, visit law.scu.edu/sclaw.
Mary B. Emery Tribute Gifts Santa Clara Law is grateful to the following who have made gifts in honor of Mary Emery. If you would like to make a gift in her memory, please visit www.law.scu.edu/giving or use the enclosed donation envelope to indicate your tribute gift. If you have any questions, please contact Law Alumni at (408) 551-1748. Anthony O. Ayeni Robert C. Barrett Linda A. Callon Melissa E. Davidson Frances L. Fisher Michael E. Fox Gary V. Giannini Lucia A. Gilbert E. Jackson Going Wendy J. Hannum Mary D. Hood Alexandra Horne Kimberly A. Hughes International Business Machines Matching Gift Program Jeffrey H. Kahn Daniel J. Kelly Jennifer A. Konecny
James V. Lee Mary J. Levinger Ellen H. Lynch John S. McInerny Elizabeth G. Pianca George L. Pifer Patrick Premo Deborah A. Ryan Jeremiah R. Scott Mary Sexton Anna Shantz John A. Shepardson Joan Sullivan Tasha K. Scott PLLC Ellen D. Wheeler Carla M. Wong Robert K. Wyman Marcia Zubrow
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