Mary Elizabeth Buffington

Mary Elizabeth Coughlin Buffington passed away on February 13, 2020. Born in Jersey City, New Jersey on December 13, 1942, she was the daughter of the late Bernard and Mary (O'Dea) Coughlin. Mary attended St. Dominic Academy and Jersey City State College.

Mary met her husband, John "Doug" Buffington when she was a high school senior and he a college freshman at a dance at St. Peter’s College in the winter of 1959-60. When Mary graduated from college she took a teaching position with the Jersey City school system. Shortly later they married and she joined Doug in Champaign-Urbana, Illinois where he was a graduate student. Mary taught second grade in the Urbana School District. It was in this period that they had their first child, Jill Anne in 1967. This was the year that Doug graduated, reported for active duty in the U.S. Army, and the family moved to Frederick, Maryland.

After two years of active duty, they resumed a civilian career in Normal, Illinois where John Matthew was born in 1971. This was followed by career moves for the family to the Chicago area, Virginia, Alaska, and to Bainbridge Island, Washington where they eventually enjoyed retirement. Over the years, Mary was a volunteer at the Bainbridge Island Library where she especially enjoyed working with the children. When she wasn't at the library, she could often be found reading a murder mystery by one of her favorite authors. She also enjoyed gardening, antiquing, going to museums, and attending arts and crafts shows. She loved watching the birds at her many bird feeders and even tolerated the squirrels, to say nothing of the deer. She was a happy and loving friend, wife, mother, and grandmother.

Mary is survived by her husband, children, and grandchildren Alex and Paige Buffington.

The family has temperately postponed the service for Mary at this time. When additional information is provided we will post more at that time.


In lieu of flowers, the family asks that you make donations to Alzheimer’s Association.

Arrangements are entrusted to the Cook Family Funeral Home of Bainbridge Island, WA.