Mary Eleanor Marquardt (née Lindsay-Rea) passed away peacefully on March 31, 2019, at the age of 89 at the Meadow Ridge retirement community in Redding, Connecticut.

Mary was born on July 6, 1929, in London, UK. She was the daughter of Mary Eleanor (Waddell) and Robert Lindsay-Rea. As a child, Mary lived in London on Harley Street, where her father had a successful ophthalmic surgery practice. During World War II, she was evacuated with her siblings Leonard, Shirley, and David to West Runton, in Norfolk, UK. She later attended St. Anne's College, Oxford University, graduating in 1951 with a BA in Modern Languages.

In 1951, Mary met her future husband, Donald E. Marquardt, in Paris, France, where they discovered they were both studying at Oxford. They were married on March 1, 1952, at All Souls Church in London. As Don had begun working for the Arabian American Oil Company (Aramco), the newlyweds embarked on a 20-year tour of the Middle East -- Saudi Arabia, Lebanon and Libya -- punctuated by stays in Irvington, New York, and London, UK.

Mary and Don had five children over the years. In 1972, after Don joined Mobil Oil, the family moved to Wilton, Connecticut, which would be their home for the next 35 years. Mary immediately began using her international experience to help others. She started Door Two (for high school newcomers), coordinated UNICEF fundraising drives and was Vice Chair of the UN Hospitality Committee of Fairfield County. She also was Coordinator of the Westport, Conn., chapter of Amnesty International, and hosted both AFS and Fresh Air Fund students. In addition, Mary was an active board member of TechnoServe, an international development organization.

On a local level, Mary served as an Honorary Trustee of the Wilton Library and the Wilton High School PTA, and as an Elder of the Wilton Presbyterian Church. She also played violin with the Fairfield County Symphony Society and the recorder in a quartet, and sang alto in the church choir for 30 years. Mary and Don were long-time active members of the Wilton Riding Club and the Silvermine Golf Club.

After moving to Meadow Ridge in 2007, Mary and Don became co-chairs of the Music Committee, and Mary chaired the Health Committee, while continuing her interest in her music.

Above all, Mary is remembered by her five children -- Donald Jr. (married to Kathy), Robert (married to Melissa), Linda, Sandra (married to Hans) and Christopher -- and ten grandchildren as a loving wife, mother and grandmother -- a devoted and constant guiding presence ensuring her children had a loving home as the family moved around the globe, encouraging their interests and efforts in music, sports, language, scouting and the cultures they were surrounded by.

A celebration of Mary's life will be held at 11:30 a.m. on April 28, 2019, at the Wilton Presbyterian Church (48 New Canaan Road, Wilton, CT), where she also will be laid to rest.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Wilton Presbyterian Church (48 New Canaan Road, Wilton, CT, 06897), the Wilton Library (137 Old Ridgefield Road, Wilton, CT, 06897) and/or the US Fund for UNICEF (125 Maiden Lane, New York, NY, 10038).

To contact her family, please write to Sandra Marquardt (1636 Brisbane Street, Silver Spring, MD, 20902) or email smarquardt2@gmail.com .