This is Mary's self-portrait that hangs on the Cafe's members wall.
She painted it herself.
Click on her portrait to visit her site.

Below are tributes to Mary from friends from all over the world that knew and loved her.

It is so difficult to express the depth of my feelings of sadness
with the unexpected loss of Mary. The bonds within this group
have grown so much stronger since our founding a year ago in
March. With the smaller group size it has been possible to
interact more with each other. Certainly Mary interacted with
each of us in a very special way. She seemed to have boundless
energy to create, write, comment on our work, and spend time
with those she held most dear – her family. And yet we were
her extended family in that she encouraged so many privately,
shared tales of dogs, and basically just shared of herself.
She had a wonderful sense of humor, seemed to always have a
smile on her face and a glint in her eyes, and expressed her
love for others and life in so many ways. The last
correspondence I had with Mary was on Saturday morning about
Shaka and her dog’s pain, and about our love for our dogs.
 

How hard it is to comprehend that we will no longer have Mary at
our tables in the Café. We are all in pain yet we all know that
she will always be with us. I think the
following is so true of Mary:
 

“Do Not Stand at my Grave and Weep”


Do not stand at my grave and weep.

I am not there, I do not sleep.


I am a thousand winds that blow.

I am the diamond glints on snow.

I am the sunlight on ripened grain.

I am the gentle autumn rain.


When you awaken in the mornings hush,

I am the swift uplifting rush

of quiet birds in circled flight,

I am the soft stars that shine at night.


Do not stand at my grave and cry,

I am not there, I did not die.


~ Mary E.Frye 1932

Hugs,
Barbara

*

 I am in shock as many of us about the sad sad news about Mary. I woke up this
morning and did the things I always do.....make some coffee and check my email
before going to work.....I have missed Mary also for a few days.....but I knew that
she was very worried about Shaka who was so ill. Then I read the incoming mail
this morning with the very terrible news.........I also have cried and my heart
still is crying.....my hubby and daughter knew about the special friendship I had
with Mary. I haven't told the group before.....but I will now. I think we all have
 those special friends on the net we know from a group we are in or have met a
 long the way on the net. I know Mary from the beginning of Café...and then I fell
 in love with her dolls...that was the beginning of a very special friendship.
 Anyway what I have never told you is that she had sent me a present to
remember her by....also a souvenir from her country. When I did receive
this....and that is only 6 weeks ago.....I did want to hear her voice...and
surprise her with a phone call from Holland..........we where both so happy to
hear each other....she thought it was so strange......she said to me.. you sound
so American!! Well she also knew my first 10 years of my life was the USA....but
 she thought as you grow older that you would loose it....no I didn't. Anyway it was
 so wonderful to talk with her on the phone....and we also have loved to visit
 each other if it ever could. Well just 2 weeks after I received her present my
 hubby and I where having our vacation....so we also went souvenir shopping
in Amsterdam ( before we went to England ) looking for something for
her and Mel her husband....my hubby and I had a wonderful time together...just
hoping she and Mel would like it. The next day I took it to the post office...and 10
days later she and Mel had received it...she was worried that it was too much for
them......but it was given out of love....so I told her....don't see it like that, look at it,
as my hubby and I had a wonderful day together in Amsterdam....buying
something for a very special friend! When on the phone with Mary I also tried
to teach her to say "knuffels" the dutch word for hugs....so we practiced and
had so much fun. Like Beckie......I feel the same and could scream that
it's not fair...she was a lovely person a wonderful friend, and I also have
 learned so much from her. I will always miss her, I will never forget her.....and
I also will always ask why Mary? My heart goes out to Mel and there 2 sons,
daughter in law, grandchildren Matthew and Chantelle, all her family and
friends and all at Café.........there is so much I want to say.....there is so
much to tell......but we all are so heart broken.
I will say my many prayers for everyone involved.

Take good care now, many knuffels Vera

I was not sure what to do but knew that I wanted to do an image using
Mary's Deckle Pencil Tutorial. I just loved that tutorial and told Mary so on
several occasions. It was the kind of graphic I love to create.................
like magic...from one image to another. I was fascinated with the outcome.
 But I had to find the right "starting" image....I hope I chose one Mary would
have liked. We talked about flowers a lot -- my lack of a place to grow them
and her gardens.......what would grow at her house and what would grow
at my house.
With sincere sympathy for the loss of this remarkable lady........

Myra

The Rose Beyond The Wall

A rose once grew where all could see,
Sheltered beside a garden wall,
And, as the days passed swiftly by,
It spread its branches, straight and tall.

One day, a beam of light shone through
A crevice that had opened wide-
The rose bent gently toward its warmth
Then passed beyond to the other side.

Now, you who deeply feel its loss,
Be comforted - the rose blooms there-
It's beauty even greater now,
Nurtured by God's own loving care.

...Author Unknown

*

Sharron Austin

ROSELEAF

A little while the rose,
And after that the thorn;
An hour of dewy morn,
And then the glamour goes.
Ah, love in beauty born,
A little while the rose!

Unknown.

*
 

I am feeling very sad about the empty place in our life today. But I also
am remembering the bright spot that was Mary. She touched our lives in a
very positive way. She was a friend, mentor, confidant, and very creative
person. As great as our loss, the empty place she leaves in her family is
far greater. My thoughts and prayers go out to those she left behind. She
represented all that is good in life. She was always ready with a helping
hand and provided encouragement to us all.

Love and prayers to all,
PegW
xxx

To see Mary's tribute to a lost grandchild, please click the graphic.

I tried to illustrate the poem of Mary's Silverweed for her grandchild
hope it is ok .........this is my love for Mary
Hélène

There's such a huge void already. How I enjoyed sharing with Mary
over the last several months! Her wit, her enthusiastic encouragement,
her curiosity - I could almost see the twinkle in her eye. I am so saddened.
 Life is so fragile. My only consolation is in having had the privilege of
knowing such a beautiful person. How devastating for her family - God
bless them and give them strength and courage.
I am filled with emptiness! Suz

Hugs,
Phillip (aka Animator)

In my mind, I can see Mary in Heaven. She's asking when she can start
learning to use her artistic talents to make beautiful things for the heavens,
like she did while she was on Earth. I imagine that she's ready to start as
soon as possible, so she'll be ready to show her friends how to make
Heavenly art when it's their time to go to Heaven. I can "see" this so clearly,
for that's how Mary was here with us. Eager to show others how to make
things prettier. When I look into the sky, and it's prettier than usual, I'll be
thinking it's Mary's doings.

I remember her sense of humor when she was still with us. Apparently she
and Emily (Auntie Em) had been emailing about Mary's surgical removal
of a spot. Mary took a photo of her small incision and ran it through a few
filters, turning it into a seamless tile. She submitted it to the group as a
joke to Emily, writing that it was based from a photo of her incision on
her "boob".

While I can't speak for all Americans, where I'm from, a "boob" is slang for
a woman's breast! I was pretty sure Mary hadn't taken a photo of her breast
to turn into a seamless tile for all of CafePSP to see! I asked my husband
what other meanings he thought the word "boob" could mean, explaining
that Mary was from Australia. He smiled and answered, "perhaps she
meant her nose?"

I wrote to Mary, asking if she meant her nose; I also included the way that
I first interpreted her submission. I could just imagine her reading my email,
that my first thought was that it was from a photo of her "boob" (my USA meaning)!
She wrote back, laughing, that it was her nose that she meant. She also wrote that
"it helps if you're just a little bit crazy" LOL

Mel and family, you're all in my prayers,
Sherri

HUGS
Donna

Pauline Black

I'm sending the attached image with much sadness. Mary and I had only
recently begun corresponding as a result of my enthusiasm over
her "instant art" tutorials. I wish I had known her longer. As it is, I feel as
if something very valuable has been snatched away from me. I'm going
to create an "instant Art" tut of my own. When I finish it, it will be dedicated
to Mary Newton, who was my inspiration.

*~Nightshadow~*

"Click on the graphic above to see the tutorial in her memory"

Back   Next   Memorial for Shaka

Please Sign Mary's Guestbook!

Powered by Bravenet