Mary Holt Hastings, a much-beloved mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, aunt, great-aunt, and dear friend of many, died on April 26, 2020 from COVID-19, just a month before her 105 ^th birthday. Mary had been a long-time resident of Carleton-Willard Village in Bedford, Massachusetts since 1992. Born and raised in Buffalo, Wyoming, Mary never lost her love for the town and the nearby Bighorn Mountains. She treasured the many times her family gathered in the mountains over the years, making her last trip there when she was 99 and able to enjoy some short hikes around a family cabin at 8,000 feet.

Mary was the daughter of Wilbur R. Holt and Mary Given Holt, both early settlers in Buffalo in the late 1800s. Her grandfather was one of the founders of a local bank, which several generations of her extended family have directed and in which Mary took great personal interest. Also related to the settling of the American West, Mary's grandfather was present at the Driving of the Golden Spike at Promontory Summit, Utah, in 1869, which completed the first transcontinental railroad.

Mary graduated from Wellesley College in 1937 with a major in economics. (In 2017, she proudly represented her class at her 80 ^th college reunion and led the annual alumnae parade with vigor.) Soon after graduation, she married Russell Hastings, a graduate of MIT, who had grown up in Brookline, Mass. but grew to love the Wyoming mountains as much as Mary did. They settled in Wellesley Hills, Mass., where Mary focused on raising their children and teaching at Katherine Gibbs School in Boston. In 1953, they moved to Battle Creek, Michigan, where they lived until their move to Bedford, Mass. in 1992. Russ and Mary lived for two years in Brussels, Belgium in the mid-1960s and enjoyed traveling in Europe and elsewhere, including a goodwill People to People Citizens Ambassador Program trip to China in 1985. Russ and Mary had a long and happy marriage of 59 years before his death in 1996.

Wherever they lived, Mary volunteered with both community and church groups, using her economics background to help with financial affairs. She excelled at bridge, read a wide range of literature, particularly non-fiction, and enjoyed both classical music concerts and recordings.

Mary loved the outdoors, whether walking in the woods, hiking or skiing in the mountains, or playing golf or croquet. She visited her hometown in Wyoming most summers throughout her life and enjoyed hiking there as well as in New England and New Zealand. Ever adventurous, in her early eighties she joined family members on active outdoor trips to England and Alaska.

Mary was predeceased by her parents, her husband Russell Hastings, and two brothers, Walter and Robert Holt. Left to cherish her memory are two children, Thomas Hastings (wife Bonnie) of Manhattan Beach, California, and daughter, Nancy Miles (husband Frank) of Hanover, New Hampshire; grandchildren Deborah Czech (husband Richard) of Saratoga Springs, New York; Lisa Miles of Portland, Ore., Jess Munro (husband Bart) of San Jose, Calif., and Rachel Vincent (husband Kyle) of Leander, Texas. Mary also adored her six great grandchildren: Anna and Joshua Czech, Wils, Quin, and Ziva Munro, and Elaine Vincent. Beyond her immediate family, Mary leaves a number of devoted nieces and nephews and numerous treasured friends and caregivers.

While there will be no calling hours due to current social distancing requirements, online remembrances may be shared at the Bedford Funeral Home's website, bedfordfuneralhome.com .

Services will be private with burial in a family plot in Wyoming. In recognition of the fine care Mary received during the 28 years she lived at Carleton-Willard Village, memorial gifts may be made to the "CWV Employee Appreciation Fund", Attention: Finance Office, 100 Old Billerica Rd., Bedford, MA 01730.