Mary Elizabeth Carey

Mary Elizabeth Carey
1938-2023

We are sad to announce the passing of Mary Elizabeth Carey of Longboat Key, FL.  She died at the age of 84, on October 29, 2023, after a long illness.  Mary Elizabeth was born in Elizabeth, NJ.  She worked for Exxon Corporation throughout her entire forty-year career.  At the time of her retirement in 1997, she was Manager of the Exxon Corporation Expatriate Center, reporting into Exxon Company International.  The Center administered over 1500 American employees of Exxon on assignment in over 60 countries.  The Center also managed foreign nationals from approximately twenty nations on assignment here in the United States.

In 2000, she moved to Longboat Key and became involved with many ministries and committees at St. Mary Star of the Sea Catholic Church in Longboat Key.

In 2000, she moved to Longboat Key and became involved with many ministries and committees at St. Mary Star of the Sea Catholic Church in Longboat Key. She was the President of the Women’s Guild and enjoyed managing the Annual Rummage Sale and the Christmas Bazaar for many years. She served as Director of the Northern Deanery of the Council of Catholic Women.  She also spent her time volunteering at Sarasota Memorial Hospital and Save Our Seabirds.  She recently completed a term as Chair of the Board of Trustees of the Artist Series Concerts of Sarasota.  She also served on the Board of the Sarasota Opera Guild.

Mary’s most recent volunteer work was through the Venice Diocese Prison Ministry.  She visited the inmates at Hardee Correctional Institution on a weekly basis, bringing them the Holy Eucharist as well as “hope and strength”.

She is preceded in death by her parents, Norma & Joseph Carey, and her brothers Michael Carey and Edward Carey.  She leaves behind her sister-in-law Noel Carey, niece Elise Corcoran (Thomas), nephew Michael Carey (Kimberly) and great nephews James and Andrew Corcoran.  She also leaves behind many cousins and good friends.

The funeral mass will be held at St. Mary Star of the Sea Catholic Church at 4280 Gulf of Mexico Drive, Longboat Key, FL 34228 on Saturday, November 4, 2023 at 10:30 am.

In lieu of flowers, please make a tax-deductible donation to St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital (stjude.org).