ANTRIM — Mary E. Bartash died Dec. 2, 2009, at her home on Goodell Road in Antrim.

She was born July 13, 1957, in Rumford, Maine, to Levi and Mary (Valonis) Bartash.

She grew up in Rumford and graduated from Rumford High School.

Mary earned a Bachelor of Science degree in special and elementary education from the University of Maine in 1979, and a master’s in Learning Disabilities in 1991. She became a certified specialist in assessing intellectual functioning in 1993. She also became a certified Orton-Gillingham Reading Specialist. Mary worked in several public schools in Maine and New Hampshire from September 1979 to June 1999.

During her last few years in public education, Mary became a computer coordinator and technology specialist while teaching and coordinating Special Education services for identified students. At this point, she made a career change, focusing all her attention on computers and technology. For 10 years, she worked for several well-known companies such as Northern Telecom, NESS, Providian Financial, and EastPoint. She held various positions: control center coordinator, systems engineer, senior customer service analyst, server engineer and network technician.

Mary loved life. She bicycled across Europe. Kayaked or canoed the waters of New Hampshire and Maine. She ate lobster on the Androscoggin. She hiked trails wherever they appeared. She was equally active indoors. She loved to quilt, making several for family and friends. She enjoyed crafts, and rarely missed a good craft fair. She read, did serious research and wrote.

Family and friends were very important to Mary. She was extremely grateful for their love and support especially during the difficult last few weeks of her life; and her gratitude, love, and respect extended to those members of the medical community who managed her treatment.

Family members include her mother, Mary; her brother, Robert, and his wife, Marta, their children Riley and Bailee; her brother, James, and his wife, Sue, and their children Cathy and Shannon and Shannon’s children, Brian, Emily and Kaitlyn; a niece, Sherri and her husband, Dan; and brother-in-law, John, and his sons, Justin and Andrew.

She was predeceased by her dad; a brother, David; a sister, Anne; and a brother, Stan.

A memorial service will be held on Dec. 11 at 1 p.m. at Meader and Sons on Franklin Street, Rumford, Maine.