Mary Lou Puterbaugh Ward of Vineyard Haven, died on August 6. She was 93.

Mary was born in Union City, Ind. on February 25, 1931, to Paul Watson and Rhoda Macy Puterbaugh, the youngest of three, with brother Phillip and sister Betty.

She met William R. Ward in high school and they married in 1951. They moved from Indiana to Connecticut and eventually both worked at Wesleyan University in Middletown, Conn. In their more than 40 years at the school, they hosted many after parties at their home for artists, musicians and critics. Their daughters often watched those events from the balcony.

The couple had three girls, Jenifer Leigh, Karen Lyn and Laurie Elizabeth.

She was a musician, a seamstress and a wonderful grandmother to seven grandchildren and five great-grandchildren. She was a bright light for all those who knew her and will live on in all of our memories. God speed Mary.

Donations in her memory may be made to VNA of Cape Cod, 25 Communication Way, Hyannis, MA 02601 or Alzheimer’s Disease Association at alz.org/donate