Mary S. Blavos

Mary (née Sloat) Tvaroha Blavos, born on March 29, 1946, passed away on November 1, 2020.  She is survived by her devoted husband, Gus Blavos, of N. Ridgeville, OH, and children Mark Tvaroha (Angela), of Florida, Jill Tvaroha, of Oberlin, OH; Alexis Blavos, of  Cortland, NY; and Nick (Rachel) Blavos, of  Cuyahoga Falls, OH. Other survivors include her brother, John Sloat, Jr. (Kay), of Greenville, OH; her sister, Sally Ebeling, of Canton, NY; and grandchildren Kelsey Blavos, Emily Blavos, and Paul Rabin.  Mary was predeceased by her parents, John and Carolyn (née Page) Sloat, and her lifelong friend and former husband, Sam Tvaroha, who died in 2015.

Mary was raised in Groton, NY, and graduated from Groton Central High School in 1964.  After working at the high school and at Cornell University, she moved to Oberlin, OH, to work for Oberlin College, from which she retired in 2011.

Mary was known for her sense of humor, her kindness to others, and her acceptance of almost anyone in her path, familiar and unfamiliar. People were drawn to Mary because she was interested in them. She enjoyed hosting meals for holidays and invited anyone who was alone or who didn't have relatives nearby to join her family and share the feast.

She was a modest person who often did not recognize how smart and insightful she was, even though she loved deep conversations (and a good cup of coffee). She read widely, aided by the ability to concentrate in the midst of swirling activity, and she was blessed with an agile, quick mind that could retain all sorts of information, from the simple to the abstruse. A friend once described her as having a prodigious memory and said that you knew she was sifting quantities of information when she began a sentence with, “Well, you know...”

She was an artist, crafter, and quilter, and she enjoyed sharing these gifts with others. She loved reading to others, especially children, and she enjoyed puzzles and games.

Mary hated cruelty and disliked hypocrisy, but she was patient with almost everyone.  She freely and openly loved others. And she adored her children. We will love and miss her for the rest of our lives.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Planned Parenthood in her memory.

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