Mary von Conta

Mary Hetzel von Conta, 90, resident of Southport, CT, passed away on August 7, 2024. Mary was born on August 11, 1933 to the late Paul Hunt Hetzel and Elizabeth Mattoon Hetzel.

Upon her graduation from Barnard College, Mary’s love of reading led her to pursue a 30-year career teaching 6 th grade English in Eastchester, NY. She was mentored by Lucy Calkins, an innovator in the field of English pedagogy. Her interest in literature and writing continued after her retirement, as she stayed involved in literature clubs and served on the board of the Pequot Library from 1995-2003, spending three of those years as the Board Secretary. Her grandchildren remember with fondness frequent trips with her to the library.

Mary cared greatly about the experience of all who visited, lived in, and explored the beautiful town she grew up in. With a characteristic tenacity, she embarked on a mission to maintain the beautiful harbor for future residents and visitors. She served on the Harbor Management Commission for the town of Fairfield and spearheaded efforts to remediate Exide runoff and its risk potential for Mill River, Southport Harbor, and Long Island Sound.

As the first female governor of the Pequot Yacht Club and a lifelong member herself, she was a trailblazer, but also a dear friend and a familiar presence to all who were involved in the Yacht Club. Mary was an avid sailor all her life and worked tirelessly to pass along that tradition to future generations. As chair of the Pequot Junior Sailing Program and later in her role as chair of the Junior Sailing Association, she put her teaching skills at the forefront. An educator, she was able to identify the value of instructor training, first at Pequot and then in collaboration with others on Long Island Sound and, ultimately, nationally.

Mary also led an effort to develop and implement an ethics program on Long Island Sound which was ultimately adopted nationally through US Sailing. Mary was Junior Sailing Association Board Chair in 1999 and 2000, devoting much of her efforts to strengthening a culture of ethics and integrity for junior sailors. She also spearheaded the creation of the US Powerboating Safe Powerboat Handling Course. She was awarded US Sailing’s Virginia Long Sail Training Service award in 1999 and again in 2020. In 2019, the JSA created the Mary von Conta Award, to be presented to a JSA member program that has made an exemplary contribution toward improving the quality and safety in the training or instruction of sailors.

Mary is survived by her daughter Martha von Conta Dunn and her beloved granddaughters, Natalie Mary Dunn and Elise von Conta Dunn. She is also survived by many nieces, nephews, cousins, and countless friends. In addition to her parents, she was predeceased by her siblings, Janet Scranton, David Hetzel, and Barbara Angstadt.

A Memorial Service will be held on August 23, 2024 at 2pm at the Trinity Episcopal Church in Southport. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Pequot Library, 720 Pequot Ave., Southport, CT 06890.