Mary Chiari Obituary

Mary Ann (Miller) Chiari of South Burlington, VT, passed away on July 15 at the age of 92 after a brief battle with pancreatic cancer. She was born on January 28, 1933, in Star Junction, PA, the second child of William and Mary (Mazur) Miller. She graduated from West Newton (PA) High School in 1950, where she was the valedictorian of her class. After marrying Ted Chiari in 1959, they moved to Endicott, NY, where they had two children (Theo Chiari, Jr. and Bill Chiari). They then moved to South Burlington, VT, in 1966 and had two more children (Amy Johnston and Tom Chiari). She earned her Associate's Degree in Accounting from Champlain College in 1996 at the age of 63.
Mary Ann was an avid gardener of flowers and vegetables. She took great pride in all of her gardens, but especially the flower garden in front of her house on Andrews Avenue, where passers-by would often stop to admire her handiwork. She loved spending time at her camp on Butler Island in Lake Champlain, where she also maintained several gardens. Mary Ann was a fantastic cook and baker, making everything from scratch. Her cheese potatoes and Texas chocolate sheet cakes were particular fan favorites. When not cooking or gardening, Mary Ann enjoyed reading, particularly poetry and British classics. She would often quote Ogden Nash and read and reread Jane Austen novels - her copy of Pride and Prejudice was especially well-worn. She took to traveling later in life, visiting the Virgin Islands, France, Guinea, Iceland, Hungary, and Hawaii among other places. But more than anything, Mary Ann especially loved spending time with her family. Over the years, she spent many hours cheering on her children and grandchildren while they participated in sports such as football, basketball, lacrosse, and skiing.
Mary Ann was predeceased by her husband, Ted, in 1995, her sister, Vivian, in 2013, and her eldest son, Theo, in 2021. She is survived by her three other children (Bill and Katherine Chiari of South Hero, VT, Amy Johnston of Arlington, MA, and Tom and Stephanie Chiari of Braintree, MA), her daughter-in-law Michelle Chiari of Tigard, OR, and six grandchildren (Isabella, Dominic, Aedan, Camden, Stella, and Ryan). She also leaves behind several beloved nieces and nephews, as well as many grandnieces, grandnephews and great-grandnieces and nephews. Calling hours will be at the Ready Funeral Home 261 Shelburne Road Burlington on Tuesday, July 22nd, from 5:00 pm to 7:00 pm A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Wednesday, July 23rd, at St. Anthony's Church 305 Flynn Avenue Burlington, at 11:00 am. Immediately following interment will take place at Lakeview Cemetery 455 Noth Avenue Burlington. The family respectfully requests that donations in lieu of flowers can be made to the Lustgarten Foundation for Pancreatic Cancer Research.
Arrangements are in the care of the Ready Funeral and Cremation Services. To send online condolences please visit www.readyfuneral.com.
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