MARY FIONA DOUGLAS

WEYBRIDGE — Mary Fiona Douglas, 61, passed away peacefully on Nov. 11, 2024, due to complications from cancer. Mary spent her final days with loving friends and family constantly by her side. She will be remembered by all who knew her as an extraordinarily kind, generous and loving friend, spouse, mother and sister.

Mary was born in the small village of Fetcham in the British countryside on Sept. 18, 1963. She was the daughter of Angela Ruth Fryer and John Lunn Douglas, and was the youngest of three girls. Mary spent her early life in the town of Leatherhead, U.K., and attended the Sherborne School for Girls before her family moved north to the town of Settle in North Yorkshire, where she attended Settle High School. She maintained a special connection to Settle and nearby Yorkshire Dales National Park. Mary attended Manchester Metropolitan University, graduating as a top student before earning a master’s degree in criminology at the University of Keele.

Soon after earning her degree, Mary moved to the United States to begin a career as a social worker, specifically working with teens and young adults. Initially, she lived and worked in Boston and was soon introduced to her future husband, David Crowne, through a mutual friend during a skiing vacation in Vermont.

Mary and David formed an instant connection, evident to all who saw them together. From that point on, Mary began building a life with David; first in Bridport, Vt., then to Brightwalton in the U.K., before finally settling in Weybridge, Vt. Together they welcomed three children, Thomas, Ross and Maddie, and eventually their border collie, Hamish, who immediately took to Mary as his leader. She began working at American Flatbread in Middlebury in 2003, where she formed lasting friendships with her coworkers and became notorious for her delicious cheesecake.

Mary was an intelligent, compassionate woman, with remarkable wit and playfulness. Her character was constantly admired by those around her, and her warmth extended to every person she encountered. She possessed a deep love for art and music, often found blissfully singing along to carols at Christmas services.

It was a shared love of skiing that brought Mary and David together, and her appreciation for the outdoors extended to hiking, kayaking and spending time in her vegetable garden and flower beds. She took great joy in sharing these passions with her children and friends. She was particularly pleased with the success of her garden this year and could regularly be found digging up potatoes and picking Brussels sprouts.

Mary is survived by her husband, David, of Weybridge, Vt.; her sister Jane, of Manchester, U.K.; her son Thomas, of Albuquerque, N.M.; her son Ross, of Oakland, Calif.; her daughter Maddie, of Weybridge, Vt.; and many loving friends and family.

The family would like to express its gratitude to Dr. Unger and his staff for their expertise and support in managing Mary’s cancer as it progressed. She was able to enjoy life with her family and friends to the fullest until very near the end. They’d also like to extend their gratitude to the Porter Hospital Medical-Surgical unit’s nursing staff, who were incredibly caring and compassionate in helping Mary navigate her final hours.

A service will be held at the Congregational Church of Middlebury at 1 p.m., on Sunday, Nov. 17. Per Mary’s request, the family asks that guests not wear black attire.

Mary had a lifelong interest in owls, and in lieu of flowers, the family requests charitable contributions be made to the Vermont Institute of Natural Science Wild Bird Rescue in Mary’s name. ◊