Mary Frances Croft of Rumson passed away July 25, 2025, at home after a long illness.
Mary was born Sept. 28, 1946, in Jersey City. She grew up in West New York and graduated from St. Joseph’s High School and Berkeley School in New York City in 1966. She immediately began her career at Cowles Communications (LOOK magazine) and continued to work with the Cowles family and foundation long after LOOK magazine ceased publication. At the time of her death, Mary was still working for the Cowles family.
Mary loved to travel and took many trips to see Europe, Canada and the United States. Some of her favorite places were Nantucket, Cape Cod and national parks. She spent her early travel years tent camping with family and friends and later in a camper with her sister and her beloved golden retrievers.
Mary is survived by her beloved sister Betty; brothers, Donald and Walter; sister-in-law Rose Mary Croft; nieces, Jennifer Lehman and Vanessa Croft; nephew Christopher Croft; and two grandnephews and a grandniece.
Memorial Visitation will be held from 3 to 6 p.m. Thursday, July 31, with a prayer service at 5:30 p.m. at Thompson Memorial Home, 310 Broad St., Red Bank. Donations welcomed to the Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation, 733 Third Ave., Suite 510, New York, NY 10017 or crohnscolitisfoundation.org.
The article originally appeared in the July 31 – August 6, 2025 print edition of The Two River Times.
