Obituary of Mary Augusta Boogaard

Mary Augusta (Burgess) Boogaard passed away at her beloved cottage at Lake Bluff NY, with her family near, from a long fight with Lewy Body Dementia on July 21, 2020. She was born in Newark, NY on May 14, 1943.  She was predeceased by her parents Charles W. (Jack) and Pauline (Jagger) Burgess and infant brother Charles. She leaves her husband John, and children Charles (Sara) Boogaard and Katharine (Eli)Coleman.  She also leaves her beloved grandchildren, Avery, Greyson, and Reagan Boogaard; Ethan, Caleb, and Claire Coleman.  Her brother Gilbert (Holly) Burgess.  Nephews Seth and Joseph Burgess.  Our family hosted Iska v. Girard, a German exchange student who remains a close family member She also was very fond of her dogs, Spot, Gypsy, Poupee, Mechante, Coquin, Amour and Petunia. 

Calling hours will be Sunday, August 9th from Noon to 2pm at the Wolcott Presbyterian Church with proper social distancing and masks.  There will be a short memorial service following. 

She was loyally cared for by Michelle Fisher (Sodus Bay Home Care), Hazel Chesterton, Sharyl Clay, Celeste Curtis, and with great gratitude to Lifetime Care Hospice staff. 

She attended the Newark Schools and graduated in 1961.  She was very active in Newark HS, with majors in English, French, Spanish and was a member of the Band/choir, National Honor Society, Yearbook, UN Trip, Future Teachers, High Times, Thespians, and took two years of French in one year. 

She graduated from Wilson College in Chambersburg, PA in 1965 with a BA in English.  She won the Silver Key Award there.  She then earned a Master’s Degree from the University of Rochester under a Ford Foundation Grant, followed by SUNY Brockport to earn a MS in School Counseling, and later a CAS/MS in Educational Administration.  In 1966, she taught French at the Red Jacket HS in Manchester, NY. 

She married John F. Boogaard Jr on July 29,1967 at the St. Michael’s Catholic Church in Newark NY.  John and Mary Augusta had been friends since entering seventh grade.  The marriage was one of the few at the time with both a Catholic priest and Presbyterian minister officiating.  The new couple honeymooned in Jamaica and made their first home in Forestville, MD and later Waldorf, MD.  John was an oceanographer for the US Navy, and she taught English at Suitland HS in MD.  She and Emily Chaney published a professional article on Teaching English. While in Maryland, their first child, Charles was born.

The family then moved back to Wayne County purchasing a home in Wolcott, NY as well as a cottage at Lake Bluff, NY.  John became a teacher at the NRW Middle School, and she stayed home with Charles and new baby, Katharine.   She taught 12^th grade English and was a School Counselor at the Red Creek HS.  She was then appointed as Director of Gifted/Talented.  She then became the Assistant Principal of the NRW Elementary School and later the Principal there for many years.  She retired from this position in 2003 and from a District Office position in 2005.

Mary Augusta’s background in the Presbyterian church stems from her family history.  Her mother was a member of the Jagger family which settled in East Palmyra in the late 1700’s and were members of the Congregational church which became the East Palmyra Presbyterian church.  On her father’s side, a connection to Park Presbyterian Church in Newark can be traced back to 1854, when a set of her great-great-grandparents (Samuel and Catherine Westfall)’   became members. In 1874, her great grandfather, A. Parke Burgess, began a 26-year pastorate in that church.  Mary Augusta’s parents were active members of that church where she grew up attending Sunday School, and participating in youth fellowship.  Mary Augusta became a member of the Wolcott Presbyterian Church in the 1970s and served as an Elder, was on the Session, Women’s Association, Superintendent of Sunday School, a Sunday Reader and a member of the Nominating Committee.

She was active in her community as well.  She volunteered many years at the Wolcott Public Library as well as the Historical Society in Wolcott and Newark.  She was a long-time member of Rotary and was honored with the Paul Harris award.  She taught swimming at Sodus Point sailing program and was a lifeguard at Sodus Point beach.  She earned the WSI level of Red Cross.  She also supervised the pool at the NRW HS for many years on Sundays.  She loved being a dog trainer in Suitland, MD.  She loved all animals.  She was elected to Delta Kappa Gamma (DKG), a woman educators Honor society.  She was the Secretary of the NRW Administrators Association.  She also won the Wayne County Martin Luther King award for her efforts in Migrant Education. She was asked to serve on the Foundation for the Newark Wayne Community Hospital.  She also served as Treasurer for the Meyers Hospital TWIG Bazaar.

Mary Augusta will be remembered as a person who loved to read, play games, literature, bringing cheer to others with her smile and personality.  She loved her summers at the Bluff with its community of Bluffers. She especially loved all animals and the subtleties of nature.  She shared her love of nature and animals with many, especially her grandchildren.  Family was everything to Mary Augusta.  In her last years, before being limited in speech, she said that she loved all her family. 

In lieu of flowers, please consider donations to the First Wolcott Presbyterian Church, 11988 West Main Street Wolcott NY 14590; Wolcott Library, 5890 New Hartford St, Wolcott NY 14590 or the Humane Society of Wayne County, 1475 County House Rd, Lyons NY 14489. Condolences may be expressed at www.HSNORTON.com