PORTSMOUTH- With both great sadness and with the hopeful anticipation of seeing her again in heaven, the family of Mary Avis Whitney, 81, announces that at sunrise on Sunday, June 24, 2018, she left this world to be reunited with the saints that have gone before her.

Mary had been a resident at Lake Prince Woods in Suffolk. Born in Logan, WV, she moved with her family to Portsmouth, VA in the 1940s. She lived in Cradock for many years, where she raised her children and worked as a medical assistant to Dr. Stanley Powell.

After marrying Allan Whitney, the love of her life, in1976, they moved downtown, where she spent several years as a volunteer with the Portsmouth Museums, receiving several awards. Always one who enjoyed looking for a bargain, she was instrumental in setting up the museum gift shop at the Portsmouth Art and Cultural Center.

Left behind to cherish her memory are her two children, Terry Dorn (Beth) and Becky Ladiser (Shann); four grandchildren; eleven great-grandchildren; and two great-great-grandchildren. She was predeceased by her parents; her sister Carolyn; her husband Allan; two infant daughters; one grandson; and one great-grandson.

A service in her memory will be held1:00p.m. Saturday, July 14, at Trinity Episcopal Church in Portsmouth, the Reverend Julia Dorsey Loomis presiding. Memorial donations may be made to Trinity Episcopal Church or to the United Church Homes and Services (UCHS) Foundation to provide benevolent support for residents at Lake Prince Woods. Condolences may be registered at BWFosterFuneralHome.com.