ROCKLAND — Mary Ella Woods died Feb 5, 2015, surrounded by her loved ones at Pen Bay Medical Center in Rockport, following a long and courageous battle with multiple myeloma cancer.

Born in Rockland on April 19, 1939, she was the oldest daughter of the late Albert "Bud" and Mary Sullivan. She grew up on Holmes Street with her siblings, Jo, Rae and Danny. She attended Rockland schools, graduating from Rockland District High School in 1957.

She leaves behind her husband of 53 years, James Woods (retired from the U.S. Coast Guard), whom she affectionately called Woody. Mary, the ever hard worker, met Woody while working at the JJ Newberry food counter. They married Aug. 1, 1961. They spent the early years living in Oregon and Hawaii, before making their permanent home in Rockland, where they raised their three children, Timothy, Kate “Debbie” and Michael.

She was a proud mother and grandmother and would share funny stories about her children – like the time she read in the Black Cat column in The Courier-Gazette about a pony getting loose and holding up traffic for more than an hour on Broadway – which was how she learned their pony, Dusty, had jumped his fence. Or, the time she came home to discover that her youngest, Michael, had let the pony in the house so Dusty wouldn't be lonely because all the other pets were allowed inside.

Mary was an avid New England sports fan — especially of the Boston Red Sox — and during her younger days taught her sons how to throw a baseball and even bowled a perfect 300 game once. During the New England Patriot's Super Bowl game Feb. 1, one of her last requests while in the Special Care Unit at Pen Bay Medical Center was to turn the game up. During her time at the hospital she was surrounded by loved ones and kept warm by a prayer blanket she asked her daughter to make as her health was declining.

In 1993 Mary was diagnosed with multiple myeloma. The doctors gave her 18 to 24 months to live. Mary, who lived her life on her own terms with determination and perseverance, outlived all their expectations; retiring two oncologists. She gave cancer a run for its money, surviving more than 20 years battling her illness while not letting it prevent her from getting to enjoy family milestones like her son's wedding and the birth of her grandsons and great-grandson and getting to watch her granddaughters grow.

She and her best friend of 70-plus years, Nancy Crockett of Owls Head, enjoyed getting together with friends for painting class, girls' lunches and to play dice. For many years she enjoyed Monday night coffee with her longtime friend, the late Marilyn Watts, to discuss the town gossip. She was a loving aunt to all of her nieces and nephews and had a special bond with her nephew, Jerry Lee Sidelinger.

She was a loyal friend, maintaining long-lasting friendships with Diana Lothrop, Sally Anderson and with her co-workers from Mammoth Mart, Kings, Ames and Zayres — where she worked during all the store transitions.

She was a devout communicant of St. Bernard's Catholic Church in Rockland, where she and Woody were married.

Mary is survived by her husband, James; her son, Timothy Woods of Rockland; her daughter, Kate “Debbie” Sullivan of Warren; her son, Michael Woods and his wife, Kelly, of South Thomaston; jer uncle, Edward Sullivan of Rockland; her sister, Rae Leach and her husband, Steve, of Union; her brother, Danny Sullivan and his wife, Judy, of St. George; her grandchildren, Jessica, Savannah, Noah, Jett and Colt; her great-grandson, Joseph; as well as many nieces and nephews.

She was predeceased by her parents, Albert and Mary Sullivan; her sister, Jo Costales and her husband, Egidio Costales Sr.; her brother-in-law, Jerry Sidelinger; and her grandson, Timothy Woods Jr.

Friends and relatives are invited to visit Tuesday, Feb. 10 from 6 to 8 p.m. at Burpee, Carpenter & Hutchins Funeral Home, 110 Limerock St. in Rockland, where a funeral service will be held at Wednesday, Feb. 11 at 11 a.m.

A celebration of life will be held at Trackside Station, 4 Union St. in Rockland, following Wednesday's service.

Those who wish may make memorial donations to Maine Cancer Foundation, 170 U. S. Route One, Suite 250, Falmouth, ME 04105.