RE T I R EMENT
Mary Ryder
“ She cared about each of the children here as if they were her own.”
WRITTEN BY MEREDITH BERRY-TOON
Following 24 years of service in Canterbury’s Health Center and 38 years in total of school nursing, Mary Ryder has retired at the close of the 2018-2019 academic year. “She was the grandmother of each of the students who attend this school,” notes colleague and longtime friend Linda Labet. “She cared about each of the children here as if they were her own.” Mary’s compassion and empathy is echoed across colleagues and students alike, each noting the thoughtfulness and gentleness through which she served the school community. “Mary has taken care of the most important piece of people's lives for the last 24 years at Canterbury—their children!—as if they have been her own,” Linda continues. “When School is in session, she's always on. She has been on-call for 24 years.” Mary’s career brought her to Canterbury following a stint as an Emergency Room nurse as well as time at a nearby high school. She transitioned into her role as Director of Health Services two years after she began at the School. In that capacity, Mary helped oversee the transition of the Health Center from how it existed two decades
ago—one nurse on-call to drive students and pick up prescriptions—to what it is now—a multifunctional wellness center with eight team members, including behavioral health specialists, licensed clinical social workers, and licensed therapists. Dr. Anne Diamond and Jonathon Diamond, two members of the Health Center team, upon reflection on her tenure, are quick to note the care she brought to her role. “Her compassionate and empathetic demeanor is part of who she is professionally,” they remark. “She’s guided us and this Health Center with the utmost care and gentleness.”
family-oriented person” (as Linda puts it), Mary has spent the majority of her weekends over the last decade criss-crossing Connecticut, Massachusetts, and beyond to visit her children…and now 11 grandchildren. “I try not to miss any major life events,” Mary remarks. “If my one granddaughter has a school dance and a grandson has a crew regatta, I do my best to make it to both, no matter how far the distance.” While still based in New Milford after all these years, it’s a rare weekend when she is actually home. In her retirement, it will be even fewer as she prolongs her weekly trips to spend additional time with her ever-growing family.
Mary moved to New Milford with her husband Carl as newlyweds in 1966. “We had the intention of staying for one year,” she laughs. “That was 53 years ago.” Carl worked as a high school teacher at New Milford High School until his retirement 14 years ago. “New Milford has been very good to us,” Mary adds, reflecting on her five children and their happy childhoods here. While her children all grew up in New Milford, most have ventured beyond, settling across New England. As an “extremely
Mary’s demeanor as a family-oriented individual extended beyond her true family to the Canterbury Health Center, as well. Anne and Jonathon both remarked how she made the Health Center feel like a home. “She would give treats to the dogs of the faculty members who live there...little gifts to [a faculty child] when a young, new faculty family moved in. It’s like we shared a true house as one large family.” Mary reflected on her time in the Canterbury Health Center and her career in school nursing with pride and gratitude. “For 38 years, I have taken care of other people's children” she notes, “And when I think about that, I think about how blessed I have been to have 38 successful years, it feels like such a gift. When May 31 comes and this last child leaves, I will know that I have finished my career and, with God's help, have done well by all those students. I have had 38 years that have been such a gift, and it feels like such a blessing to end on that note.”
Mary was the honored speaker at the 2019 Sixth Form Dinner.
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THE MAGAZINE OF CANTERBURY SCHOOL