WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. — Mary Lou (DeMayo) Galusha, 90, of Williamstown, Mass., died on Sunday, January 6, 2019, at Williamstown Commons. 

She was born on August 16, 1928, daughter of Jessie Maino DeMayo and Louis DeMayo at NARH. Her family always lived in Williamstown. She attended Williamstown Elementary School and graduated from Williamstown High School in the class of 1946. She started Nursing School at Albany, but soon decided that was not for her and came home to decide what to do next.  While home, she received a call to work at Williamstown National Bank, where she worked until her marriage. She met the love of her life, Dan, at a friend’s wedding on June 21, 1947, and they were married January 30, 1949 in the First Congregational Church.

She then helped her husband, Dan, run Fairfields Farms doing any odd jobs, feeding calves, gopher for anything needed and also helped run the office for a very active milk business, which was sold to Crescent Creamery in Pittsfield in the early 60s; they now sell wholesale to Agri-Mark. She loved the farm and always said it was the best place to raise their three sons. They spent hours with him and learned a lot. The farm is run by two of her sons, John and Bill, and grandson Jay, and is the largest in town.

Mary loved to cook and garden, and was excellent at it all. There was always room for one more at the table. Dan always said she ran Fresh Air Camp all the time not just for two weeks. The boys’ friends were always there, either at home or swimming at camp. Her garden supplied the family with canned or frozen food for the winter, also jams and jellies.

Family and friends were happy to find some of her famous pies and other goodies, especially at Christmas when they always had a party. Dan was famous for his eggnog along with Mary’s good cooking. Gifts of her famous Butter Crunch and Peanut Brittle were always looked forward to. They sold Christmas trees for 42 years and made a lot of good friends who came every year. The trees were mostly planted as seedlings and lovingly pruned, mostly by Dan.

They were both members of The First Congregational Church since 1949 and she served on the Board of Deacons and also served as a Trustee. She was also a member of the First Grey Ladies class at NARH. Mary, like her husband, was also interested in Conservation and Open Space Land Conservation, and was a founding president of the Williamstown Rural Lands Foundation. The farm is a model of many conservation practices. 

She ran a bed and breakfast for several years and had guests from all over the world. Some still stopped to see her and visit.

All of the family loved camp and ponds that Dan built and spent many happy hours there. Family reunions and man gatherings were held there. She was also known as the "Bluebird Lady" and spent hours monitoring 17 houses that Dan built, with some success and some failures. She also worked at Blood Bank, was a member of Fab Forties of Williamstown High School. Founding President of Village Ambulance, she also was a devoted member of YMCA and served on its Board of Trustees for several years.

Her hobbies were making silver jewelry and cooking and gardening, both vegetables and flowers. Most of all she adored and loved her family and time spent with them. Dan passed on April 14, 2013, and is missed by all. 

She is survived by her three sons, James and wife Jaqueline, John and his companion Jamie Bairstow, and William and wife Kelly; five grandchildren, Sarah (Matt) Chinman of Pittsburg, Daniel Jay, Kathryn Mary, Ryan Elizabeth Nawazelski and her husband, Dan, and Andrew Judge Galusha of Williamstown; five great-grandchildren Lauren, James, Cassie Galusha and Dylan and Luke and Nate Chinman; one great-great-granddaughter, Paisley Rae; one beloved brother, Louis and his wife Pam; sister Joan Maddock and her husband Curt; sisters-in-laws Carol DeMayo and Esther DeMayo; and many loved nieces, nephews, and grandnieces. 

She was predeceased by two brothers, Richard and James DeMayo.

Mary’s family would like to extend a heartfelt thank you to the nurses at Williamstown Commons.

Funeral notice: At her request, there will be no calling hours. Memorial service will be held on Saturday, February 2, 2019, at 11 a.m. at the First Congregational Church in Williamstown. Contributions may be made to the Food Pantry at St. Patrick and St. Raphael or Village Ambulance.