Mary Stotts

Mary Ann Hathaway Stotts, 77, entered into the Lord’s rest from her hospital room in Layton on Saturday, October 5, 2019 at 1:55 p.m. She passed away, unexpectedly yet peacefully, after battling numerous health complications for several years. In the moment of passing, her daughter was right by her side.

Mary was born April 16, 1942, in Chicago, to Raymond Ashley Hathaway and Alma Marie Podhora Hathaway. A premature twin, Mary and her twin sister, also named Alma, were both placed in an incubator shortly after birth. A medical accident caused the incubator to be over-oxygenated, and both Mary and Alma suffered severe consequences to their health. Alma died within six months of birth.

Mary was expected by doctors not to last much longer than her sister, but a life of miracles was just beginning. Mary grew up, graduated high school, learned many talents, and lived a long and full life. She married Robert Lawrence Stotts on February 15, 1964, in Burbank, California. Together they had two children and spent over 40 years as residents of Glendale, California, in their house on 1248 Winchester Avenue before moving to Utah permanently in 2005.

Mary, Robert, and their daughter were baptized as members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on March 8, 1975, in Glendale. They were sealed together in the Los Angeles temple on June 16, 1976.

Mary was 85 percent blind her entire life, but it didn’t stop her from learning to play the piano and accordion. Reading music was difficult for her, but her entire family grew to admire her ability to improvise the music with her jazz-style harmonies and rhythm. She also attended business classes in the early part of her marriage.  A floral artist, she was known for her letters in which she usually included a picture. She also loved animals, real and stuffed. In her last few months, she enjoyed having her dog Annie and daughter’s dog Benzilla come for a visit.

Mary’s struggles never ended, but she kept on going, showing an infectious smile that one would not think belonged on the face of a person with so many trials. By her 60th year, she had battled diabetes, manic depression, blindness, and issues with weight. They did not define her. What defined Mary was the photos of grandchildren strewn across her house, her 55-year marriage to her husband, her fondness for simple things like ice cream and Reader’s Digest.

Mary was active in her community and in various clubs and organizations, including the Foothill Service Club for the Blind for which she served in the presidency for some time, the LDS Relief Society, the Parent Teacher Association at Jefferson Elementary School and Co-Leader of the Brownies for the Girl Scouts of America in Glendale.

In the waning years of Mary’s life, she made several visits to local hospitals in Davis County and stayed under the care of Rocky Mountain Care Center. Doctors, nurses, and other hospital staff, in heavy majority, expressed their love to family members of being able to visit and take care of Mary. Mary constantly complimented staff members and expressed love toward them. She spent several years prior to her time at RMCC in at-home care provided by Summit and Home Helpers. Mary expressed love towards these caregivers like they were her own children, and many of them became beloved family friends.

Mary was preceded in death by her parents and her twin sister Alma, half-sister Barbara, and her half-brother James Hathaway, who died in childhood.

Mary is survived by her husband, Robert Lawrence Stotts and their two children:  Elizabeth Ann Stotts Metroka, her husband, Bryan C. Metroka and Robert Lawrence Stotts, Jr, and his wife, Anita Phillips Stotts. Mary is survived by seven grandchildren: Stephen Harris, Jameson Harris, Matthew Harris, David Harris IV, Savannah Stotts, Henry Stotts, and Anita’s daughter, Addison. Mary also had five great grandchildren: Lucy, Ethan, Daniel, Jackson, and Everlie. Mary also is survived by a half-sister, Virginia Dittmann, who lives in Wisconsin.

Memorial services will be held Saturday, October 26, 2019 at 11 a.m. at the Clearfield LDS Stake Center, 220 W. 975 N., Clearfield.  Interment, Clinton City Cemetery.

Services entrusted to Lindquist’s Layton Mortuary, 1867 No. Fairfield Road.

In lieu of flowers, the family has requested donations be made to the Utah Schools for the Deaf and Blind and the American Diabetes Association. Donations can be made online at www.usdb.org/donations or www.diabetes.org/donate