Mary Rayner Smith O'Brien
Mary Rayner-O'Brien, 91, died at her home at the Hawthorn House assisted living facility in the Air Force enlisted village in Shalimar, Florida. She was a member of St. Simon's on the Sound Episcopal Church in Fort Walton Beach, Florida Mary was born in the charming town of Bedford, England, the oldest child of six born to the late Archibald and Gertrud Rayner. During World War II, Mary served in her war torn town as an air raid warden helping folks get to shelters with their gas masks during the constant horrible bombings among other tasks. Also, she was a USO volunteer where she met her future husband, Staff Sgt. Maynard Harrison Smith, at a dance sponsored for allied soldiers. They married in 1944. Staff Sgt. Maynard Smith's service in the United States Army Air Corps 423rd Bombardment Squadron as a B-17 Turret Gunner resulted in him being awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor by the President of United States and given to him in England by Secretary of War, Harry Stimson. After the war's end, Mary immigrated to Washington D.C. aboard the HMS Queen Mary with their first child, Christine. Mary and Maynard had four children.
Mary later moved from Albany, New York, to Hawaii, then to Fort Walton Beach, to be near family. She especially enjoyed working for the Bank of Hawaii, and was incredibly organized. She loved to travel and cook. Wherever she was, there would somehow be a garden. In Fort Walton Beach she met Robert O'Brien, (master sergeant, retired) who loved all the things she did, including her special gift of baking the best pies. Mary and Robert married and moved to Teresa Village in Fort Walton Beach, a community for retired Air Force veterans and their spouses. Together they traveled to many countries and had many grand adventures. Mary volunteered in the Hurlburt pharmacy and the community library and won prizes for her beloved garden. Robert preceded Mary in death in 2004. Years later, in 2013, she moved on to Hawthorn House. Mary was preceded in death by her first husband, Staff Sgt. Smith; two of her children, Lawrence and Ronald Smith; as well as three sisters, Noreen Mahony , June Smith and Sheila Skoonmaker. Mary is survived by two children; and four grandchildren,as well as many great-grandchildren and great-great-grandchildren.
Mary's final resting place will be Graceland Cemetery Memorial Gardens in Albany, New York, {she is not in Graceland Cemetery} where Mary will be forever with her parents, sisters and son.
From Northwest Florida Daily News online
Daughter of the late Arthur and Gertrude Berrington Rayner and sister also of George Rayner, Keith Rayner
Mary Rayner-O'Brien, 91, died at her home at the Hawthorn House assisted living facility in the Air Force enlisted village in Shalimar, Florida. She was a member of St. Simon's on the Sound Episcopal Church in Fort Walton Beach, Florida Mary was born in the charming town of Bedford, England, the oldest child of six born to the late Archibald and Gertrud Rayner. During World War II, Mary served in her war torn town as an air raid warden helping folks get to shelters with their gas masks during the constant horrible bombings among other tasks. Also, she was a USO volunteer where she met her future husband, Staff Sgt. Maynard Harrison Smith, at a dance sponsored for allied soldiers. They married in 1944. Staff Sgt. Maynard Smith's service in the United States Army Air Corps 423rd Bombardment Squadron as a B-17 Turret Gunner resulted in him being awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor by the President of United States and given to him in England by Secretary of War, Harry Stimson. After the war's end, Mary immigrated to Washington D.C. aboard the HMS Queen Mary with their first child, Christine. Mary and Maynard had four children.
Mary later moved from Albany, New York, to Hawaii, then to Fort Walton Beach, to be near family. She especially enjoyed working for the Bank of Hawaii, and was incredibly organized. She loved to travel and cook. Wherever she was, there would somehow be a garden. In Fort Walton Beach she met Robert O'Brien, (master sergeant, retired) who loved all the things she did, including her special gift of baking the best pies. Mary and Robert married and moved to Teresa Village in Fort Walton Beach, a community for retired Air Force veterans and their spouses. Together they traveled to many countries and had many grand adventures. Mary volunteered in the Hurlburt pharmacy and the community library and won prizes for her beloved garden. Robert preceded Mary in death in 2004. Years later, in 2013, she moved on to Hawthorn House. Mary was preceded in death by her first husband, Staff Sgt. Smith; two of her children, Lawrence and Ronald Smith; as well as three sisters, Noreen Mahony , June Smith and Sheila Skoonmaker. Mary is survived by two children; and four grandchildren,as well as many great-grandchildren and great-great-grandchildren.
Mary's final resting place will be Graceland Cemetery Memorial Gardens in Albany, New York, {she is not in Graceland Cemetery} where Mary will be forever with her parents, sisters and son.
From Northwest Florida Daily News online
Daughter of the late Arthur and Gertrude Berrington Rayner and sister also of George Rayner, Keith Rayner
Mary Rayner Smith O'Brien
Mary Rayner-O'Brien, 91, died at her home at the Hawthorn House assisted living facility in the Air Force enlisted village in Shalimar, Florida. She was a member of St. Simon's on the Sound Episcopal Church in Fort Walton Beach, Florida Mary was born in the charming town of Bedford, England, the oldest child of six born to the late Archibald and Gertrud Rayner. During World War II, Mary served in her war torn town as an air raid warden helping folks get to shelters with their gas masks during the constant horrible bombings among other tasks. Also, she was a USO volunteer where she met her future husband, Staff Sgt. Maynard Harrison Smith, at a dance sponsored for allied soldiers. They married in 1944. Staff Sgt. Maynard Smith's service in the United States Army Air Corps 423rd Bombardment Squadron as a B-17 Turret Gunner resulted in him being awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor by the President of United States and given to him in England by Secretary of War, Harry Stimson. After the war's end, Mary immigrated to Washington D.C. aboard the HMS Queen Mary with their first child, Christine. Mary and Maynard had four children.
Mary later moved from Albany, New York, to Hawaii, then to Fort Walton Beach, to be near family. She especially enjoyed working for the Bank of Hawaii, and was incredibly organized. She loved to travel and cook. Wherever she was, there would somehow be a garden. In Fort Walton Beach she met Robert O'Brien, (master sergeant, retired) who loved all the things she did, including her special gift of baking the best pies. Mary and Robert married and moved to Teresa Village in Fort Walton Beach, a community for retired Air Force veterans and their spouses. Together they traveled to many countries and had many grand adventures. Mary volunteered in the Hurlburt pharmacy and the community library and won prizes for her beloved garden. Robert preceded Mary in death in 2004. Years later, in 2013, she moved on to Hawthorn House. Mary was preceded in death by her first husband, Staff Sgt. Smith; two of her children, Lawrence and Ronald Smith; as well as three sisters, Noreen Mahony , June Smith and Sheila Skoonmaker. Mary is survived by two children; and four grandchildren,as well as many great-grandchildren and great-great-grandchildren.
Mary's final resting place will be Graceland Cemetery Memorial Gardens in Albany, New York, {she is not in Graceland Cemetery} where Mary will be forever with her parents, sisters and son.
From Northwest Florida Daily News online
Daughter of the late Arthur and Gertrude Berrington Rayner and sister also of George Rayner, Keith Rayner
Mary Rayner-O'Brien, 91, died at her home at the Hawthorn House assisted living facility in the Air Force enlisted village in Shalimar, Florida. She was a member of St. Simon's on the Sound Episcopal Church in Fort Walton Beach, Florida Mary was born in the charming town of Bedford, England, the oldest child of six born to the late Archibald and Gertrud Rayner. During World War II, Mary served in her war torn town as an air raid warden helping folks get to shelters with their gas masks during the constant horrible bombings among other tasks. Also, she was a USO volunteer where she met her future husband, Staff Sgt. Maynard Harrison Smith, at a dance sponsored for allied soldiers. They married in 1944. Staff Sgt. Maynard Smith's service in the United States Army Air Corps 423rd Bombardment Squadron as a B-17 Turret Gunner resulted in him being awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor by the President of United States and given to him in England by Secretary of War, Harry Stimson. After the war's end, Mary immigrated to Washington D.C. aboard the HMS Queen Mary with their first child, Christine. Mary and Maynard had four children.
Mary later moved from Albany, New York, to Hawaii, then to Fort Walton Beach, to be near family. She especially enjoyed working for the Bank of Hawaii, and was incredibly organized. She loved to travel and cook. Wherever she was, there would somehow be a garden. In Fort Walton Beach she met Robert O'Brien, (master sergeant, retired) who loved all the things she did, including her special gift of baking the best pies. Mary and Robert married and moved to Teresa Village in Fort Walton Beach, a community for retired Air Force veterans and their spouses. Together they traveled to many countries and had many grand adventures. Mary volunteered in the Hurlburt pharmacy and the community library and won prizes for her beloved garden. Robert preceded Mary in death in 2004. Years later, in 2013, she moved on to Hawthorn House. Mary was preceded in death by her first husband, Staff Sgt. Smith; two of her children, Lawrence and Ronald Smith; as well as three sisters, Noreen Mahony , June Smith and Sheila Skoonmaker. Mary is survived by two children; and four grandchildren,as well as many great-grandchildren and great-great-grandchildren.
Mary's final resting place will be Graceland Cemetery Memorial Gardens in Albany, New York, {she is not in Graceland Cemetery} where Mary will be forever with her parents, sisters and son.
From Northwest Florida Daily News online
Daughter of the late Arthur and Gertrude Berrington Rayner and sister also of George Rayner, Keith Rayner
Inscription
Beloved daughter sister wife mother nana friend
Family Members
Sponsored by Ancestry
Advertisement
See more Smith O'Brien or Rayner memorials in:
- Memory Gardens Cemetery and Memorial Park Smith O'Brien or Rayner
- Colonie Smith O'Brien or Rayner
- Albany County Smith O'Brien or Rayner
- New York Smith O'Brien or Rayner
- USA Smith O'Brien or Rayner
- Find a Grave Smith O'Brien or Rayner
Advertisement
