07/21/2026
Mary Josephine DuMont Mack passed over to the other side quietly, the same way as she lived her life, on Sunday, July 5, after a decades long struggle with fibrotic lung disease.
Waiting for her on the other side are her parents, Earl and Rosemary (O'Neil) DuMont and her stepmother, Alice Dean DuMont. She leaves behind the love of her life, Dale, her husband of 54+ years; and her two children that she loved, adored, and was always proud of: daughter, Kelly (Richard Faust) of Washington, DC; and son, Christopher (Riddhi Gandhi) of Guaynabo, Puerto Rico. She is also survived by her sisters Diana Romeo and Carol (Ron) DiSanto and brothers Earl DuMont (Beth) and Bob DuMont (Vanessa).
Mary grew up in Endicott, attending Union Endicott High School, where she met Dale. He asked her to the senior prom and they have been together ever since. She graduated from the State University at Albany cm laude, where she studied art and business. She later earned an MBA from Binghamton University, where her scholastic achievements were recognized with induction into Beta Gamma Sigma Honor Society.
After Mary retired as Assistant Director of the Anderson Center for the Arts at Binghamton University, her lifelong commitment to the arts continued with her service on the Tioga Arts Council Board of Directors.
Mary was very creative and was always making something—painting, drawing, pottery, pop up greeting cards were among her creations. She sewed, knitted, and macraméed. After she retired, she spent a month in Lourmarin, France, a small village in Provence painting watercolors. She later had an exhibit of these paintings at the Owego Town Hall. In 2024 she had a one woman show at the Tioga Arts Council and donated all the proceeds from her art sales to the Tioga Arts Council Endowment Fund.
She and Dale traveled the world together with trips to Europe, Australia and New Zealand, South America, Hawaii, Alaska, Canada, the Caribbean, Bethany Beach (DE), and Key West. As tennis fans, she and Dale were fortunate to attend all four grand slam tennis tournaments—the US Open in New York City; the French Open in Paris, France; the Australian Open in Melbourne, Australia; and Wimbledon in England. She loved music, especially jazz and was always up for attending concerts. Her love of music motivated her to learn to play guitar later in life.
She was a fantastic cook and enjoyed entertaining. She enjoyed drinking wine; and Dale and she were always discussing which wine would pair well with whatever food they were eating. She had a penpal in Luxembourg with whom she corresponded in French. She was an avid reader and was always recommending books to friends and family. She was also a serious Sci-Fi fan and enjoyed—both Sci-Fi books and movies.
Mary cared deeply about her community of friends, family, and Tioga County. She helped to establish and support the Tioga Arts Council Endowment Fund to ensure the future of local arts activities in the area. In partnership with her husband, Dale, they established the Mack Family Scholarship Fund in 2022 to support annually two graduating students of Owego Free Academy in attending a four-year college, renewable for each year. Both of these generous ventures are endowed funds held at the Community Foundation for South Central New York and will operate in perpetuity.
Of all things, she was the most loving and caring wife and mother, who, day in and day out, thought first of her family. She was the bond that held the family together and lived her life providing loving support in difficult times and celebrating good times with joy and happiness.
Words cannot express how much Mary will be missed and how beloved she was by many.
The family will receive friends Friday, July 31, 2026 from 10:00 to 10:45 a.m. with funeral services immediately following at 11:00 a.m. at the Estey, Munroe & Fahey Funeral Home, 15 Park Street, Owego, NY. In lieu of flowers, please send donations to the Tioga Arts Council Endowment Fund managed by the Community Foundation of South Central New York, 31 Front Street, Binghamton, NY 13905 (phone: 607-772-6773.
