Mary Lou (Centini) Bear passed peacefully at her home in Cornwall Manor on March 14, 2020. She was born October 10, 1940 in Lancaster, PA to the late Joseph and Jane Centini. Formerly of Richfield and Middletown, PA she was a 1958 graduate of McCaskey High School. She started her career at Armstrong, continued as a legal secretary in Chicago, and retired from the PA Fish and Boat Commission.
A two-time lung cancer survivor, she devoted many happy hours in retirement as a volunteer at Hershey Medical Center, especially involved with the Ronald McDonald House and Penn State gift shop. She was recently honored with the Presidential Lifetime Achievement Award; volunteering for 15 years with 4,196 hours.
She will be missed by a brother, Barry Centini (Philippa), sister, Carol McDonald (Jere), niece & nephew Kaitlyn Holmes (Brett & children Matthew, Janie) and Scott McDonald, also stepchildren Harry Theodore Bear and Teresa Ruth, grandchildren Christopher Bear, Shannon Leedy, Desiree Martin, Casie Bear, Jessica Custer and 18 beloved great-grandchildren. She devotedly maintained friendships with many dear classmates, coworkers, friends and neighbors and her YFU exchange students from Australia, Japan, Sweden, and Mexico.
A member of Gravel Hill United Methodist Church she had a strong faith and love of the Lord as was evidenced by her generous, giving nature. She will be privately buried at Conestoga Memorial Park, Lancaster. A celebration of life service will be planned at a future date.
Memorial gifts can be made to, Gravel Hill United Methodist Church, 131 Gravel Hill Road, Palmyra, PA 17078, or to Cornwall Manor Benevolent Fund, 1 Boyd Street, Cornwall, PA 17016, https://cornwallmanor.org/donate/.
To plant a tree in memory of Mary Lou Bear, please visit our Tribute Store.
Central Pennsylvania Cremation Society Obituary
A two-time lung cancer survivor, she devoted many happy hours in retirement as a volunteer at Hershey Medical Center, especially involved with the Ronald McDonald House and Penn State gift shop. She was recently honored with the Presidential Lifetime Achievement Award; volunteering for 15 years with 4,196 hours.
She will be missed by a brother, Barry Centini (Philippa), sister, Carol McDonald (Jere), niece & nephew Kaitlyn Holmes (Brett & children Matthew, Janie) and Scott McDonald, also stepchildren Harry Theodore Bear and Teresa Ruth, grandchildren Christopher Bear, Shannon Leedy, Desiree Martin, Casie Bear, Jessica Custer and 18 beloved great-grandchildren. She devotedly maintained friendships with many dear classmates, coworkers, friends and neighbors and her YFU exchange students from Australia, Japan, Sweden, and Mexico.
A member of Gravel Hill United Methodist Church she had a strong faith and love of the Lord as was evidenced by her generous, giving nature. She will be privately buried at Conestoga Memorial Park, Lancaster. A celebration of life service will be planned at a future date.
Memorial gifts can be made to, Gravel Hill United Methodist Church, 131 Gravel Hill Road, Palmyra, PA 17078, or to Cornwall Manor Benevolent Fund, 1 Boyd Street, Cornwall, PA 17016, https://cornwallmanor.org/donate/.
To plant a tree in memory of Mary Lou Bear, please visit our Tribute Store.
Central Pennsylvania Cremation Society Obituary
Mary Lou (Centini) Bear passed peacefully at her home in Cornwall Manor on March 14, 2020. She was born October 10, 1940 in Lancaster, PA to the late Joseph and Jane Centini. Formerly of Richfield and Middletown, PA she was a 1958 graduate of McCaskey High School. She started her career at Armstrong, continued as a legal secretary in Chicago, and retired from the PA Fish and Boat Commission.
A two-time lung cancer survivor, she devoted many happy hours in retirement as a volunteer at Hershey Medical Center, especially involved with the Ronald McDonald House and Penn State gift shop. She was recently honored with the Presidential Lifetime Achievement Award; volunteering for 15 years with 4,196 hours.
She will be missed by a brother, Barry Centini (Philippa), sister, Carol McDonald (Jere), niece & nephew Kaitlyn Holmes (Brett & children Matthew, Janie) and Scott McDonald, also stepchildren Harry Theodore Bear and Teresa Ruth, grandchildren Christopher Bear, Shannon Leedy, Desiree Martin, Casie Bear, Jessica Custer and 18 beloved great-grandchildren. She devotedly maintained friendships with many dear classmates, coworkers, friends and neighbors and her YFU exchange students from Australia, Japan, Sweden, and Mexico.
A member of Gravel Hill United Methodist Church she had a strong faith and love of the Lord as was evidenced by her generous, giving nature. She will be privately buried at Conestoga Memorial Park, Lancaster. A celebration of life service will be planned at a future date.
Memorial gifts can be made to, Gravel Hill United Methodist Church, 131 Gravel Hill Road, Palmyra, PA 17078, or to Cornwall Manor Benevolent Fund, 1 Boyd Street, Cornwall, PA 17016, https://cornwallmanor.org/donate/.
To plant a tree in memory of Mary Lou Bear, please visit our Tribute Store.
Central Pennsylvania Cremation Society Obituary
A two-time lung cancer survivor, she devoted many happy hours in retirement as a volunteer at Hershey Medical Center, especially involved with the Ronald McDonald House and Penn State gift shop. She was recently honored with the Presidential Lifetime Achievement Award; volunteering for 15 years with 4,196 hours.
She will be missed by a brother, Barry Centini (Philippa), sister, Carol McDonald (Jere), niece & nephew Kaitlyn Holmes (Brett & children Matthew, Janie) and Scott McDonald, also stepchildren Harry Theodore Bear and Teresa Ruth, grandchildren Christopher Bear, Shannon Leedy, Desiree Martin, Casie Bear, Jessica Custer and 18 beloved great-grandchildren. She devotedly maintained friendships with many dear classmates, coworkers, friends and neighbors and her YFU exchange students from Australia, Japan, Sweden, and Mexico.
A member of Gravel Hill United Methodist Church she had a strong faith and love of the Lord as was evidenced by her generous, giving nature. She will be privately buried at Conestoga Memorial Park, Lancaster. A celebration of life service will be planned at a future date.
Memorial gifts can be made to, Gravel Hill United Methodist Church, 131 Gravel Hill Road, Palmyra, PA 17078, or to Cornwall Manor Benevolent Fund, 1 Boyd Street, Cornwall, PA 17016, https://cornwallmanor.org/donate/.
To plant a tree in memory of Mary Lou Bear, please visit our Tribute Store.
Central Pennsylvania Cremation Society Obituary
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