Mary Louise Kingsbery, 67, of Rumson, died surrounded by her husband and children at Riverview Medical Center June 2, 2024. She was predeceased by her father, Paul J. Curran Sr.
Visitation was held June 6 at the John E. Day Funeral Home in Red Bank. A Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated June 7 by His Eminence Timothy Cardinal Dolan at Holy Cross Church in Rumson.
Mary Lou was born April 27, 1957, in Washington, D.C. In her early life, she resided in Manhattan and Scarsdale, New York, and spent her summers in Sea Girt. As a youth, she loved swimming, both in the pool and the ocean, and worked as an instructor at the Silton Swim School in Manasquan. She enjoyed tennis and learned to play at Sea Bright Lawn Tennis and Cricket Club. She attended the Convent of the Sacred Heart – 91st Street and the Convent of the Sacred Heart in Greenwich, Connecticut. Mary Lou received her college degree from Trinity College in Washington, D.C. and, during her junior year of college, she spent a year abroad studying at the Institut d’Etudes Politiques and the Sorbonne in Paris. Following college, Mary Lou moved to New York City and worked as a fixed income trader at Lazard Frères & Co.
In 1980, Mary Lou met the love of her life, James C. Kingsbery Sr. (“Clay”). Mary Lou and Clay married in August 1982 at Immaculate Heart of Mary Church in Scarsdale, New York. After living in Manhattan, they moved to Monmouth County and raised their five children in Rumson. Mary Lou and Clay later moved their family to Short Hills where they resided until 2017. Since 2017, they have lived in Rumson year-round.
Mary Lou enjoyed working with Clay in their gardens and always filled her homes with beautiful flowers and plants. She also enjoyed spending time at the beach, both in New Jersey and in Florida. She could often be found reading one or two newspapers at a time, as well as the Daily Mail Online. Mary Lou was also an enthusiastic bridge player at Seabright Beach Club and Rumson Country Club, and cherished time spent playing with her close friends.
Mary Lou was a devoted supporter of her children’s sports teams throughout their high school and college years. She could always be seen on the sidelines wearing their school colors. One of her favorite sports was croquet, and she developed many friendships as a member of the Green Gables Croquet Club in Spring Lake.
Mary Lou loved welcoming friends and family into her home and hosted many memorable gatherings for Christmas and the Fourth of July, as well as birthday celebrations for her children and grandchildren.
In addition to being a constant support to Clay and her five children, Mary Lou dedicated her time and energy to several charities and nonprofits over the years. Most recently, she was a member of the alumnae board of the Convent of the Sacred Heart. Together with Clay, Mary Lou supported many charitable causes, such as Family & Children’s Services and the Inner-City Scholarship Fund.
Above all else, faith was the center of Mary Lou’s life. Mary Lou was a devout and lifelong Catholic who instilled a strong devotion to the Church in her children. She regularly attended Mass at Holy Cross Church in Rumson, as well as St. Rose of Lima Church in Short Hills. Her faith was – and continues to be – a tremendous source of strength and inspiration to Mary Lou and her entire family.
Mary Lou is survived by her husband Clay, her daughter Caroline Kingsbery Martino and her husband Robert, and her four sons, James C. Kingsbery Jr. and his wife Kathryn (Vernon); Paul C. Kingsbery and his wife Courtney (Shanney); Edward W. Kingsbery Sr. and his wife Jessica (Ulrich); and William F. Kingsbery. She is also survived by seven grandchildren, Grace E. Kingsbery, Mary V. Kingsbery, Henry A. Kingsbery, James B. Kingsbery, Charlotte A. Kingsbery, Edward W. Kingsbery Jr., and C. Elizabeth Kingsbery. Mary Lou is also survived by her mother, Barbara A. Curran; her three sisters, Catherine Souther and her husband Thomas, Barbara Susanin and her husband Timothy, and Elizabeth Stockton and her husband Richard; her three brothers, Mark I. Curran, Thomas J. Curran and his wife Deirdre (Naphin), and Paul J. Curran Jr. and his wife Wendy (Slaughter); as well as 17 nieces and nephews and six grand-nieces and nephews.
In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made to the Inner-City Scholarship Fund, 1011 First Ave., Suite 1800, New York, NY 10022-4112.
The article originally appeared in the June 20 – 26, 2024 print edition of The Two River Times.
