Mary Blair

Mary Esther Blair, 84, of Apopka Florida passed away on March 19, 2021.

Mary Esther McKinnon was born on November 18, 1936 in Wagram, North Carolina to Sarah J. Ross. She attended Shaw High School, graduating in 1954. Mary had 6 siblings, Lula Mae Covington, Patricia Stewart, James McKinnon, Martha McNeil, Louise Williamson and Charles “Matley” Mckinnon.

She met her first husband, James Weldon Monroe Sr., who preceded her in death, in Laurinburg, NC. Their union produced 5 children: Denise, husband Peter, Dwight, wife Daphne, and Gregory, and James Jr, wife, Renita and Sheila, husband, Tony. James had a son, who Mary loved as her own, Houston, wife, Helen.

In November 14, 1993, she married Walter Blair. This union created a blended family which included Walter’s son, Keith Blair and wife Faith.

Mary worked as a nurse for most of her life, starting at a retirement home in Washington, D.C. In 1966, she and her family moved to New York City. She worked at Macy’s Department Store for a short time, before she began working at Beth Israel Hospital in New York City, where she remained until her retirement in 1997. She was devoted to her work with Brooklyn Temple Seventh Day Adventist Church, where, in addition to teaching Sabbath School, she also served on the Deaconess Board. She would later go on to attend Ebenezer Seventh Day Adventist Church in Long Island and Bethel Seventh Day Adventist Church in Orlando, where she continued to serve as Sabbath School Secretary and as a Deaconess. She also worked with the Vacation Bible School.

Mary loved sewing, gardening, doing arts and crafts, cooking and helping others wherever and whenever she was able. Her laughter brought joy to all those who knew her. She was a dedicated servant of God.

In fulfillment of the plan that God had for her life, the Lord called Mary Esther Blair home on March 19th, 2021.

She leaves to mourn her husband Walter, siblings Martha McNeil, Louise Williamson and Charles “Matley” Mckinnon, son James Jr. and wife Renita, daughter Sheila and husband Tony, son Houston and wife Helen, son Keith and wife Faith, grandchildren Charaine, Tifara, Dwight Jr., Tyshaun Sr. Christina, Rasheen, Javar, Reina, Tavia, Tariq, Tiandra, Travis, Janay, Trevor, Nya, LaQuisa, Houston Jr., Dale, Kristen, Aaron and Benjamin. Also left to mourn are Mary’s cousin Sallie Mae Baldwin and family, her sons-in-law, George Robinson and Peter Sandiford, 18 great-grandchildren and a host of extended family

Visitation will be held on Friday March 26, 2021 from 11am until 12pm at the Collison Carey Hand Funeral Home Chapel.

Funeral service will be held at 12pm on Friday March 26th at the Collison Carey Hand Funeral Home Chapel with interment immediately following at Woodlawn Memorial.