Mary Shea DeMong, 96, of Ithaca and formerly of Fabius, died Friday, January 7, 2011, at Hospicare of Thompkins County. Mrs. Demong was born in Fabius on July 26, 1914, to Michael G. and Jessie Saunders Shea and resided there until 1998, when she moved to Ithaca's Longview retirement community. She was an alumna of Fabius High School, later Fabius Central School, where she worked for 30 years as a teacher of English and history and as chairman of the English Department. In 1935, she graduated magna cum laude from Syracuse University's Liberal Arts College, where she was a member of the social sorority Theta Phi Alpha, the French honorary sority Lambda Tau Rho, Phi Kappa Phi and Phi Beta Kappa. Mrs. Demong was a life member of St. Paul's Church in Fabius and a member of the Fabius Legion Auxiliary from its inception. A former docent at Lorenzo State Historic Site in Cazenovia, she was a member of The Friends of Lorenzo as well as the Fabius Historical Association and Fabius Library Association. She was a part of the community group that compiled and in 1959 published a local history, Fabius...Past and Present. After moving to Ithaca, Mrs. Demong served for several years on the board of Gadabout Transportation Services and was a member of Toastmasters International of Ithaca College. Until a week before her death, she remained active and engaged in the Longview community and in the lives of her family. Mrs. Demong was the widow of Frederick J. DeMong, who died in 1995. She is survived by her brother, Charles F. Shea of Fabius; her four children, Suzanne Demong of Cardiff by the Sea, California, Natalia J. Emlen of Ithaca, Denise Demong of New York and Leo Demong of Vermontville, New York; and her son-in-law, Stephen T. Emlen of Ithaca. She also leaves six grandchildren, Douglas Emlen, Katharine Emlen, William Demong, Kathleen Demong, Francesca David and Michael David, and two great-grandchildren, with a third due imminently. Two cousins, Robert Metzner and Betty Jane Metzner; a niece, Janie Gehring; and a sister-in-law, Betsy Demong, also survive her. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated 10 a.m. Wednesday, January 12, in St. Leo's Church, 10 Onondaga Street, Tully. Spring interment in Fabius Evergreen Cemetery. Friends may call 4 to 7 p.m. Tuesday at Hartwell Funeral Home, 11 Clinton St., Tully. Contributions may be made to Hospicare of Tompkins County, Hospice of Central New York, the Quality of Life Fund at Ithacare or the Fabius Historical Society in care of William Casey.

Published in Syracuse Post Standard on January 9, 2011
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Graveside service will be Saturday, May 21, 2011 at 12:15 p.m. in Fabius Evergreen Cemetery for Mary Shea Demong, 96, formerly of Fabius, who died January 7, 2011.

Published in Syracuse Post Standard on May 18, 2011
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***Family Links***
Siblings:
Charles F. Shea (1916-2012)