Alice Reakes
Mary was a dear friend with a passion for birds, books, cooking, travel, people - life at its best. Some of my favorite memories are of the times spent birding with her and our group - weekly on Wednesdays, yearly on Christmas Bird Counts, seasonally for Spring or Fall Migration Counts, or just special occasions that may not have included birding but almost always involved good food! In between seeing good birds, it was always fascinating to hear about her travels and the people she met along the way. Or share book recommendations or recipes. Her catering skills really shone with
luncheons or get-togethers at her home, and I'll never forget attending my first Passover Seder there the night the Gators won their National Basketball Championship! She is so missed.