Mrs. Mary Elizabeth (Rhodes) DeWees, 76, Waynesboro, PA, passed away peacefully on Wednesday, July 9, 2025, in Laurel Lakes Rehabilitation and Wellness Center, Chambersburg, PA. She had been in the facility since January 2024.
Born October 21, 1948, in Anchorage, AK, to the late Beverly Omar Rhodes and Tomalee Rae (Noland) Rhodes.
Mary was a free spirted, gypsy at heart and loved to travel the country, meet new people and make memories with her family. Mary was the eldest of 6 siblings.
Mary graduated High School with the class of 1967 from George Washington Highschool in Alexandria, VA. Later in life, Mary received a CNA diploma from James Rumsey Technical Institute in Berkely County, WV.
Mary loved to help people and spend time with family and friends.
Early in life, Mary spent time modeling for Barbizon Modeling agency in Washington DC and worked at the Hot Shoppes in Alexandria, Virginia. After moving to the Waynesboro area, Mary worked for many years at Mountain Gate Restaurant in Thurmont, MD and later Waynesboro, PA as a waitress, she was a bank teller at 1st National Bank in Blue Ridge Summit, a waitress at Mountain Shadow’s Restaurant in Blue Ridge Summit, a receptionist at Victor Cullen Boys School in Sabillasville, MD, a CNA at the Western Maryland Center in Hagerstown, MD, and worked at New Hope Shelter and took care of many people and their homes.
Mary loved to travel the country and would spend many trips driving back and forth across the country dividing her time between her families in Pennsylvania and California. Mary spent many years as a Girl Scout Leader in the Blue Ridge Summit area. Mary loved taking her grandkids to the beach, camping, dining out and making life lasting memories with them.
Mary leaves behind one daughter, Cindy (DeWees) Broas, (Michael) of Waynesboro, PA. two beautiful grandchildren, Grandson, Andrew Broas and Granddaughter Addison Broas, both of Waynesboro, her grandchildren were her pride and joy; sister Carolyn Tetley of Grand Terrace, California and many nieces and nephews.
Mary was a breast cancer survivor who loved life and lived it to the fullest extent. Always on the hunt for a new adventure or making new friends, she had a smile that was contagious.
In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation in Mary’s memory to Antietam Humane Society, 8513 Lyons Road, Waynesboro, PA 17268 or Cumberland Valley Breast Cancer Association, CVBCA 1601 Mountain Road, Suite 101 – Mercersburg, PA 17236.
Family and Friends are invited to a celebration of life on Saturday July 19, 2025, from 2 p.m. until 5 p.m., at the Rouzerville Community Center (formerly Ruritan), 11962 Old Route 16, Waynesboro, PA.
Grove-Bowersox Funeral Home, Waynesboro is assisting with the arrangements.
