Mary Elizabeth Stearns was the third daughter and seventh of ten children born to Dulin Benson Stearns (1863-1962) and his wife Mary Jane Beachum (1867-1910). She was born at her parents home at 1006 N. Brevard Street, Charlotte, Mecklenburg County, NC. Her family moved to Statesville, Iredell County, NC in 1916.

Mary was graduated from North Carolina Women's College (now UNC-Greensboro) in 1921, and took graduate courses at Columbia University in New York City. From a very early age, Mary loved to read and to learn. One of her sisters used to tell of seeing her wash dishes with a book propped up on the windowsill...and turning the page with her nose!

While at Columbia, Mary met Raymond Strickland Deck (1900-1943), a college professor, wildlife photographer, explorer and author. They were married at her family home in Statesville in 1924, and moved to New York City. They had two children: Jean Stearns Deck (Mrs. Andrew) Symmes and the late Helen Catherine Deck (Mrs. James DeWitt) Benson (9 Jan. 1926-8 April 2007).

Raymond Deck traveled farther up the Amazon river than any white man had in 1929. He became ill with a fever and his native guides desserted him. A local tribe nursed him back to health, and he was able to make his way back to civilization. He wrote several books on wildlife, including "Pageant in the Sky," published in 1941. His articles and photographs appeared in National Geographic and other publications.

After Raymond's death, Mary taught at the Hutchinson School in Pelham, Westchester Co., NY for 40 years. By the end of her career, she was teaching some of the grandchildren of her first pupils. Upon her retirement in 1975, the town declared "Mary Deck Day," a grand celebration, and established a scholarship to be given in her name.

In her retirement, she spent a year in Japan, and traveled to various other places. She played the guitar and taught English as a second language to Japanese businessmen's wives. She was the last of her siblings to survive.