Mary Ellen (Norris) Babbitt

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Mary Ellen (Norris) Babbitt of Bowie, Maryland died quietly on Thursday, December 29, 2016.

She was born in Annapolis, MD and was the daughter of the late George Wesley Norris and Eleanor Ridout Norris. She attended Annapolis High School graduating in 1940, and, although delayed by World War II, graduated from the University of Maryland College Park with a BS in Home Economics in 1951.

Mary met her husband, Wallace Erwin Babbitt, at a "tea fight" given by members of the Annapolis community to introduce academy midshipman to local residents. Wallace, who came from Rapid City, SD, was attending a 90-day officer's training course at the Naval Academy. In June 1942, Mary and Wallace were married in Annapolis and lived there together between submarine cruises. Upon release from the Navy, Wallace and Mary continued to live in Annapolis, had two much beloved sons, and attended college. In 1951, Wallace was recalled to active duty during the Korean Conflict and he was transferred to Providence, RI.

The family plus Mary's Aunt Elise Ridout moved north with him. Mary had a third child in 1952, a daughter. After her birth, Mary went on to earn her teaching credentials from the University of Rhode Island and starting in 1955 taught, elementary school in the Warwick School System to 1983 as well as being active in the community. Mary was a communicant of The Resurrection Episcopal Church in Norwood, volunteer at the Park Museum in Cranston, Troup 4 Warwick Den Mother, Girl Scout Leader, and member of the Retired Officers Association. Mary taught grades second through fourth at several schools in Warwick during her career. She introduced several innovations that improved student performance, often spending her own money to do so. Several were later adopted throughout the Warwick School System. She strongly believed students needed to know where their food came from and how it was produced. As a result, Mary took her classes to chicken hatcheries, fish hatcheries, farms, fruit orchards, commercial bakeries, and more. She also developed lessons plans that combined math and reading skills to demonstrate how people made food in the past. Children used these lessons to make homemade bread, churn butter, churn ice cream, and more.

She discovered that many children were sleepy when they got to school in the morning and she instigated an exercise program for half an hour before starting lessons. Attention to the work improved and grades went up. Mary used music and art to support other learning activities. She was always experimenting with new ways to engage students. Additionally, Mary was a supervising teacher and had many student teachers working in her classrooms over the years. Upon her husband Wallace's death in 1983, Mary retired from teaching and returned to live in Maryland near family. She joined St. Georges Episcopal Church in Glenn Dale and for ten years she was a volunteer for Prince Georges County Meals on Wheels. Mary's other activities included sewing (she was an accomplished seamstress who created many designer outfits), cooking, bird watching, bridge, gardening and singing.

Mary is survived by her son, John N. Babbitt and daughter-in-law, Humberta M. Goncalves Babbitt of Warren, RI; her daughter, Eleanor H. Babbitt and son-in-law, James W. Christo of Glenn Dale, MD; her daughter-in-law, Kathleen A. Babbitt and grandson Zachery L. Babbitt of Annapolis (her eldest son, Wallace Erwin Babbitt Jr. pre-deceased her in 2016); her grandson, David R. Christo of Burbank, CA; her younger brother, John L. Norris of Olathe, KS; as well as many nieces and nephews.

A memorial service will be held for Mary on January 28, 2017 at 2 p.m. at St. George's Episcopal Church, Glenn Dale, MD 20769. A collation will follow the service in the church hall.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the National Audubon Society at P.O. Box 97194, Washington, DC 20090-7194.