Mary Rochester

Mary was born June 20, 1930 in Peoria, Illinois to Olga and Frank Hitchcock. As a child,

she relocated to Buffalo, New York with her mother and sister, Barbara, where she lived

with her beloved grandparents, John and Rose Dauber. She attended Syracuse

University where she earned her degree in Art.

She met her husband, Delancey (Del) Rochester, III in Buffalo where they enjoyed their

love of sailing and skiing. They had three children, John, Holly, and Ann.

In 1961 the family moved to Florida. Mary and Del continued to enjoy their passion for

sailing and developed a great love for the natural environment. She was an active

member of the Sierra Club and advocated for the protection of Florida’s ecosystems

and wildlife.

Mary went back to college at Florida Atlantic University where she earned her degree in

Education and began her teaching career shortly thereafter. She had a passion for

helping students and had earned a Teacher of the Year award during her career.

Her love of the arts evolved to include a successful career as an artist specializing in

pottery. Her work was featured in several galleries, and she participated in a variety of

arts festivals over the years.

In her retirement, she moved to North Carolina to be closer to her daughter Holly. She

enjoyed the retirement community she lived in and loved having her grandchildren and

great grandchildren visit.

Mary passed away on March 3, 2025. She was preceded in death by her husband, Del,

her daughter Ann, parents Olga and Frank, and her sister Barbara. She is survived by

her daughter Holly, son John (Mary Jo), granddaughter Heather (Ryan) and their

children Gabriel and Everly, grandson Jordan (Abigail) and their children Farah, Sawyer,

and Ellie Mae.

A celebration of life will be held later this year.

Online condolences may be shared with the family at www.austinandbarnesfuneralhome.com

Austin and Barnes Funeral Home is serving the Rochester family.

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Mary Rochester, please visit our floral store.