Obituary – Mary Eileen Piper
Mary Eileen Piper, age 85, of Mill Hall, entered her eternal home with her family by her side on Saturday, March 22, at her residence after a several year journey with Parkinson’s disease. Mary always maintained her positive outlook and strength, her love for animals and her family, and her quick wit.
Mary was born on July 6, 1939, in Alton, Illinois to Donald and Marie Cunningham. She was later joined by a younger sister Marcia. Mary attended high school in Short Hills, New Jersey and graduated from Millburn High School. Early in her life, Mary developed a love for horses and dogs. Her summers were spent in Illinois at the farm of her aunt and uncle, Claude and Mable Craver, where she learned to ride. Mary was a natural horsewoman. Her passion for horses and animals would remain with her for the rest of her life.
With the help of her father Don and uncle Claude, Mary started a business called Ponies, Inc. She was known in her Illinois community as the pony girl. She bought ponies in Illinois and then transported them back to a farm near her home in Short Hills, New Jersey where she trained and sold them.
After high school, Mary wanted to attend vet school but at that time women were not accepted. She entered Lyons Institute in New Jersey where she studied medical technology.
In 1960, she married Dr. Robert H. Reese. They met when Mary brought one of her ponies in for treatment at The University of Pennsylvania Veterinary School where Robert was a fourth-year vet student. After they married, Bob and Mary moved to Lock Haven and started a veterinary practice. Mary assisted her husband in the practice as a vet tech for 18 years. Bob and Mary had three children together, Debbie, Nancy, and Bobby.
Mary worked with horses all her life—first with the ponies, then Saddlebreds and Quarter Horses. In her early twenties she fell in love with Arabian and had a wonderful career training, breeding and showing Arabian horses. Mary shared her love of horses with her daughters Debbie and Nancy.
With a fearless spirit and fierce intelligence, Mary excelled at any challenge she took on. In her early thirties, she became fascinated with airplanes. She began taking flying lessons. The more she learned, the more she wanted to learn. Mary became an accomplished pilot. She held her private, instrument, and commercial certifications and was a certified instrument flight instructor (CFII). She worked as an air taxi pilot, enjoyed flying multi-engine planes and loved aerobatics. For many years, Mary worked as a flight instructor in Lock Haven, Pennsylvania and Salina, Kansas.
Mary’s proudest moments in life were teaching her son how to fly and teaching her daughters to ride and work with horses.
In the 1980’s Mary owned and operated Piper Arabians, an Arabian horse breeding farm in Culver, Kansas. Mary bred and foaled out mares and trained and showed her own horses with much success. She completed certifications in equine reproduction at Colorado State University in 1984 and 1994. Her life with horses brought her great joy. Over the years, Mary had many beloved animal companions. Anywhere Mary went there were sure to be a few devoted dogs and happy cats at her side.
In Kansas, Mary owned and operated The Frame Shoppe—she had a strong appreciation for artwork, especially equine artwork and photography.
After spending time living in both Culver, Kansas and Vero Beach, Florida, Mary returned to Lock Haven Pennsylvania where she continued to operate Piper Arabians and worked as a real estate agent.
Mary was an accomplished pianist; she always enjoyed music and dancing, especially swing dancing to her favorite bands from her time as a teenager in the 1950’s. In the early 2000’s, she combined her love for music and photography with Mary Piper Presentations, which created custom DVD presentations for life and family milestones set to music.
Mary was a member of both the Kansas and Pennsylvania Arabian Horse Associations where she served as Vice President during her tenure. She was also a member of the Arabian Horse Registry and International Arabian Horse Association. She regularly represented those organizations at national conventions and meetings.
More than anything, Mary loved spending time with her family. Her children and grandchildren were the love and pride of her life. Holidays and family gatherings were some of her happiest moments. She loved to cook, bake and entertain; many people will remember her famous sticky buns which she often gave as gifts at Christmastime.
Mary will be remembered for her love for life, her sense of adventure, and her indomitable spirit. She was never afraid to take on a new challenge or to pursue the things that brought her joy. Her family takes comfort in knowing that she now rests in eternal peace with her savior Jesus Christ and is reunited with the many animals she loved and cared for during her full and beautiful life.
Mary is survived by her children Debbie Reese, Nancy (Kevin) Johnson, and Bob (Jacquie) Reese, and a stepdaughter Avery (Billy) Craig. Ten grandchildren, Elizabeth Arnold Ulmer (Seth), Brett Arnold (Kelsey Harkness), Laura Arnold (Ryan Kalbach), Brady Reese, Chad Reese, Erin Reese, Tara (Cole) Phillips, Megan Reese (Jacob Borowicz), Seth Reese, and Jeremy Reese; seven step-grandchildren Shannon (Tracy) Johnson and Will, Ben, Matthew, Josh, Cali, and Katy Craig; and four great grandchildren Jace, Willa, Archer and Alexis. She is preceded in death by her parents, Donald and Marie Cunningham.
The family wishes to extend their deepest gratitude to Mary’s compassionate team of caregivers who so lovingly walked beside her through the last few years.
A memorial service to celebrate Mary’s incredible life and her heavenly homecoming will be held at Grace Fellowship Church, 19 West Ridge Street in Avis, PA 17721 on Thursday, March 27 at 11 a.m. with Pastor Drew Collins officiating. Family and friends will be received at the church at 10 a.m. Gedon Funeral Homes will be handling the funeral arrangements.
In lieu of flowers, gifts or donations in memory of Mary may be made to the Clinton County SPCA, 33 Mill Hill Road, Lock Haven, PA 17745 or at clintoncountyspca.org, the Arabian Horse Rescue Mission at arabianhorserescueedu.org, or the Piper Aviation Museum, 1 Piper Way, Lock Haven, PA, or at pipermuseum.com.
Online thoughts and memories can be made at www.GedonFuneralHomes.com or the Gedon Funeral Homes Facebook page.
