Mary Edith Scott Mcgaughey

Retired Avella schoolteacher, Mary Edith Scott McGaughey, 93, of Avella, died Thursday, January 27, 2005, in Canonsburg General Hospital, following a brief illness. She was born June 2, 1911, in Greeley, Colo., a daughter of Aaron Halden and Edith Fuller Scott, and came to Pennsylvania as a child where she resided near West Middletown on her parents' dairy farm. She was a high school graduate and received her teaching degree from Indiana Teachers College. Mrs. McGaughey was best known as a dedicated schoolteacher. She taught five grades in a one-room school with a wood stove and later in Hopewell and Avella school districts for 37 years. Most of her life was devoted to Grove United Presbyterian Church in West Middletown, where she was an elder and served as church school superintendent. Mrs. McGaughey had cultural interests in community spirit. She was an artist, painter, member of West Middletown Garden Club, Independence Grange and Washington County Historical Society. She raised amazing vegetable and flower gardens. On June 1, 1935, she married Curtis W. McGaughey, who died November 1, 2004. Surviving are a daughter, Martha (Marcy) Hamilton Helsel of Avella; two grandsons, Curt and Chris Hamilton; three sisters, twins Lola Hughes of Washington and Lila Brewer of Columbus, Ohio, and Florence Carpenter of Washington; nine grandchildren, April Hamilton Waltz, Chelsea, Kennedy, Cassandra, Tiffany, Natalie, Mallory and Benjamin Hamilton and Kaitlyn Muncie; and several nieces and nephews. Friends will be received from 12:30 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. Sunday in William G. Neal Funeral Homes Ltd., 925 Allison Avenue, Washington, where services will be held at 1:30 p.m. Monday, January 31, with Pastor Jack Emerick and Michael Krajacic officiating. Burial will follow in West Middletown Cemetery. The family suggests memorial contributions to Grove United Presbyterian Church, P.O. Box 88, Main Street, West Middletown, PA 15379.