Mary Mercer Edwards of Melrose, MA, passed away peacefully on March 29, 2026. Born in 1936 in New Bedford, MA to the late Muriel (MacDonald) Edwards and William Edwards, she was predeceased by her older brother Malcom Edwards, whom she adored.

A graduate of Melrose High School, Mary was a proud Wellesley College alumna and earned a Master of Divinity at Union Theological Seminary.

Her passion for the written word launched a decades-long career in publishing. She was a trailblazer in her work as a children's book editor, book buyer, and author. After a stint in New York City, she returned to Melrose and forged a career as a highly regarded strategy and proposal consultant for Raytheon and other aerospace companies, again breaking glass ceilings.

Mary enriched her community. She was a trustee of the Melrose Public Library, an active member of the Melrose Highlands Congregational Church, and created a non-profit, At Home in Melrose, a virtual village concept intended to help elders remain at home as they aged.

She sparkled as a hostess, delighted in building and nurturing spectacular terraced gardens, and honored her heritage by creating and furnishing a miniature replica of an historic family home, which she donated to the New Bedford Whaling Museum.

Mary possessed a sharp wit, keen editorial eye, and quick smile. Candid and forthright, you always knew where you stood with her. She maintained deep friendships and was interwoven into the fabric of several Melrose families, a beloved addition to their lives. She will be greatly missed.

She is survived by her nephew Duncan Edwards and niece Donna Goldman, loving members of the MacDonald family, and many friends who considered Mary one of their own.

Relatives and friends are respectfully invited to gather in honor of Mary's life at the Melrose Highlands Congregational Church, 355 Franklin St, Melrose for her Funeral Service celebrated on Thursday, April 23 at 10:30 AM. Interment will be private.