1924
Mary
2011
Mary Alice Beeghly Schaff
August 13, 1924 — March 22, 2011
A memorial service will be held for MABS at 11:00am on Saturday, April 2 at the First Presbyterian Church, 201 Wick Avenue, with visitation during the hour before the service.
Born in1924, in Youngstown, Ohio, Mary Alice was the 7th child of Leon A. and Mabel Snyder Beeghly. She grew up in Boardman and graduated from Boardman High School in 1942. She attended Ohio Wesleyan University for two years where she was a member of Delta Gamma Sorority, then graduated from Smith College in 1946 with a Bachelor of Arts degree. Following college, Mary Alice attended the Katherine Gibbs School in Boston and thereafter worked for a corporate law firm in Washington until returning to Youngstown to marry Charles Booth Schaff in 1950.
Mary Alice and Charles spent the balance of their lives in Youngstown. They were blessed to have three children who were raised amidst the Beeghly and Schaff clans. The seven far-flung Beeghly families have maintained close relationships by gathering for consecutive summer reunions, held in different locations through out the country and attended each year by as many as 100 descendants of Leon and Mabel Beeghly. (In 43 years of reunions, Mary Alice never missed one.) Equally important to her were summer months spent at the Schaff family cottage located in northern Michigan, over a span of 60 years. Here among extended Schaff families, the children and grandchildren, nieces, nephews and cousins have developed life long friendships and connections with the closely knit community of Northport Point.
The two families were connected in the business world. Husband Charles Schaff founded a business with his father-in-law, Leon Beeghly, a prominent businessman in the Youngstown area. That company, Altronic Ignition, Inc. of Girard, Ohio continues to operate today under the leadership of nephew Bruce Beeghly.
Mary Alice was an active volunteer in Youngstown throughout her life and enjoyed board associations with the Jr. League of Youngstown, the Child Guidance Center, the Mahoning Valley Camp Fire Girls Council as a leader as well as program chair of the first county-wide Spring Fling, the Woman's Board of the Youngstown Hospital Association, the Mahoning Valley Historical Society, the Friends of Fellows Riverside Gardens, and a long board commitment to Paisley House. In addition, she maintained a supporting interest in the arts, music, education, environmental and conservation causes and was an early member of the Glen Gardeners.
Faith was an integral part of her life. Raised in Trinity Methodist Church, she became a member of First Presbyterian Church at the time of her marriage and served as deacon and elder, and in other service roles.
Mary Alice was a devoted daughter, sister, mother and grandmother, friend and community member. She is survived by a brother, Thomas Beeghly of Santa Ana, California (Mille); two sons, Charles B. Schaff, Jr. (Cheryl) of Menlo Park, CA and Peter H. Schaff (Alice) of Wilmette, IL; a son-in-law, Paul B. Comita of Menlo Park, CA; a sister-in-law, Joanne Beeghly; a brother-in-law and sister-in-law Gordie and Janie Odell; a sister-in-law Sally Schaff; eight grandchildren; and numerous nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, her daughter Lucie Schaff Comita, her sister Lucile Beeghly Patrick, and four brothers: Charles Beeghly, James Beeghly, Thornton Beeghly, and John Beeghly.
In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to First Presbyterian Church Endowment Fund, 201 Wick Avenue, Youngstown, Oh 44503; Friends of Fellows Riverside Gardens, 124 McKinley Avenue, Youngstown, OH 44509; Hospice of the Valley, 5190 Market Street, Youngstown, OH 44512; or a charity of choice.
Born in1924, in Youngstown, Ohio, Mary Alice was the 7th child of Leon A. and Mabel Snyder Beeghly. She grew up in Boardman and graduated from Boardman High School in 1942. She attended Ohio Wesleyan University for two years where she was a member of Delta Gamma Sorority, then graduated from Smith College in 1946 with a Bachelor of Arts degree. Following college, Mary Alice attended the Katherine Gibbs School in Boston and thereafter worked for a corporate law firm in Washington until returning to Youngstown to marry Charles Booth Schaff in 1950.
Mary Alice and Charles spent the balance of their lives in Youngstown. They were blessed to have three children who were raised amidst the Beeghly and Schaff clans. The seven far-flung Beeghly families have maintained close relationships by gathering for consecutive summer reunions, held in different locations through out the country and attended each year by as many as 100 descendants of Leon and Mabel Beeghly. (In 43 years of reunions, Mary Alice never missed one.) Equally important to her were summer months spent at the Schaff family cottage located in northern Michigan, over a span of 60 years. Here among extended Schaff families, the children and grandchildren, nieces, nephews and cousins have developed life long friendships and connections with the closely knit community of Northport Point.
The two families were connected in the business world. Husband Charles Schaff founded a business with his father-in-law, Leon Beeghly, a prominent businessman in the Youngstown area. That company, Altronic Ignition, Inc. of Girard, Ohio continues to operate today under the leadership of nephew Bruce Beeghly.
Mary Alice was an active volunteer in Youngstown throughout her life and enjoyed board associations with the Jr. League of Youngstown, the Child Guidance Center, the Mahoning Valley Camp Fire Girls Council as a leader as well as program chair of the first county-wide Spring Fling, the Woman's Board of the Youngstown Hospital Association, the Mahoning Valley Historical Society, the Friends of Fellows Riverside Gardens, and a long board commitment to Paisley House. In addition, she maintained a supporting interest in the arts, music, education, environmental and conservation causes and was an early member of the Glen Gardeners.
Faith was an integral part of her life. Raised in Trinity Methodist Church, she became a member of First Presbyterian Church at the time of her marriage and served as deacon and elder, and in other service roles.
Mary Alice was a devoted daughter, sister, mother and grandmother, friend and community member. She is survived by a brother, Thomas Beeghly of Santa Ana, California (Mille); two sons, Charles B. Schaff, Jr. (Cheryl) of Menlo Park, CA and Peter H. Schaff (Alice) of Wilmette, IL; a son-in-law, Paul B. Comita of Menlo Park, CA; a sister-in-law, Joanne Beeghly; a brother-in-law and sister-in-law Gordie and Janie Odell; a sister-in-law Sally Schaff; eight grandchildren; and numerous nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, her daughter Lucie Schaff Comita, her sister Lucile Beeghly Patrick, and four brothers: Charles Beeghly, James Beeghly, Thornton Beeghly, and John Beeghly.
In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to First Presbyterian Church Endowment Fund, 201 Wick Avenue, Youngstown, Oh 44503; Friends of Fellows Riverside Gardens, 124 McKinley Avenue, Youngstown, OH 44509; Hospice of the Valley, 5190 Market Street, Youngstown, OH 44512; or a charity of choice.
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