Mary Webster

September 15, 1936 - November 1, 2020

With profound sadness we announce the passing of Mary Lu, our loving and devoted mother, meemaw and friend to many, on November 1, 2020. She left us while sleeping peacefully at her residence in Friendship Village of Columbus (Ohio). She was in her 84th year. Music, God and family are the dominant themes in the life story of Mary Lu Webster. Born in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, to Rev. I. Clifford Bucy and Valeria (Hoop) Bucy, she attended high school in Martinsburg, West Virginia, and in 1958 graduated from Lynchburg College in Virginia with three different majors: religion, music and education. During her college year summers, Mary Lu worked with different age groups at Bethany Beach, Delaware on church conference grounds. Mary Lu continued an emphasis of outreach, music and family as she was raised to do by her church and by her mother and minister father. After meeting in his home church, Belmont Christian Church, in Roanoke, Virginia where Mary Lu was the Minister of Music and Religious Education, she was married in 1959 to Dr. Sidney Thomas Webster (“a good man”) who preceded her in death by 18 years. They were truly “soul mates” and Mary Lu would joke that when they met they even had “matching cars and luggage”! The couple raised their only daughter, Julia Ann as Mary Lu continued her devotion to music. With the love of God, music and children, Mary Lu served countless people over the years through directing childrens’ choirs, teaching piano, teaching kindergarten and playing organ for various church services, in West Virginia, Virginia and Ohio. Churches and groups she blessed include: Winchester Avenue Christian Church (Martinsburg, WV), Madison Heights Christian Church (Madison Heights, VA), Euclid Avenue Christian Church (Lynchburg, VA), Quaker Memorial Presbyterian Church (Lynchburg, VA), Belmont Christian Church (Roanoke, VA), St. Albans Christian Church (St. Abans, WV), Monsanto Women’s Chorus (Nitro, WV), Northwest Christian Church (Columbus, OH), Friendship Village of Columbus (Columbus, OH). At one time, while in Virginia, Mary Lu directed seven choirs in graded levels! Children’s choirs were at times a particular focus, and through the years Mary Lu taught hundreds of individual piano students. In more recent years at Friendship Village of Columbus, Mary Lu led many community enriching groups: Decorating Committee, Food Committee and frequent playing piano for vesper services. The independent living hallways are now full of artwork because of her attention to detail and diligent efforts. Mary Lu loved beautiful things and she enjoyed making the world around her lovely as well. Her piano playing at vespers service brought many of the Friendship Village residents to tears and always closer to Christ. Being social and having fun was also an important part of Mary Lu’s life. She was active for many years in the life of Linworth Methodist Church. The annual garage sale was a time where Mary Lu combined her artistic talent with being social and serving the church. She loved to fix up donated jewelry so that it could be sold at the sale. This was an activity that she carried over to the Friendship Village annual sale. Mary Lu enjoyed Linworth Methodist’s “SOS Group--Sensational Older Seniors” and went on frequent outings and attended “hand-and-foot” card game get togethers with SOS friends. Mary Lu’s love for her family was evident from the numerous pictures that graced her apartment of her three grandchildren, Clifford Francis Webster Goertemiller, Clayton Paul Goertemiller, Hannah Elizabeth Goertemiller and her daughter, Julia Ann, and son-in-law, Joseph Francis Goertemiller. Holidays were always a special time when Mary Lu showed her family love. You could always count on a pristine home with exquisite decorations and a wonderful family meal. And, there was always a gift from “Meemaw” for everyone. But most of all, Mary Lu was a woman who loved her Savior, Jesus Christ. Prominent in her home since she was a young girl was a head-and-shoulders painting of Jesus. Mary Lu won it many years ago for bringing the most new people to her church’s Bible School sessions. Now may she rest in His hands.