Mary Aloise Carswell Vitrone

Mrs. Mary Aloise Vitrone (née Carswell), of Morganton, NC passed away peacefully surrounded by her family and friends on February 4th, 2016 after a valiant fight against metastatic breast cancer. She was 43 years old.

Mary is survived by her teenage children, Marianna Victoria and Makenna Éowyn, as well as her husband, Mark Joseph Vitrone; her parents, Patricia Ann Drinkard, Gregory Owens Carswell, and Daniel Malcolm Drinkard; her sister, Blake Owen Carswell; and many loving aunts, uncles, and cousins.

Mary was born in Valdese, NC on April 4, 1972 and was an accomplished student. She attended the North Carolina Governor’s School while a student at East Burke High School and later received a double major in English and Theater Arts from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and later, her master’s in Education. She participated in the Marching Band at both schools.

Mary became a teacher in Burke County, spending fourteen years educating students at Burke Alternative School, now Halliburton Academy. Mary was very proud of her work and relished the personal victories that she saw occur among these students to whom education was, and still is, a daily challenge. Mary was honored as Teacher of the Year at Halliburton Academy before her fight began and she found it difficult to leave teaching when the fight with her disease took her from her calling to students.

Mary shared a fond love of all things Disney. She had a love for cards, games, and puzzles. She enjoyed vacationing at the beach, visiting zoos and loved cruises. She had a deep bond with her Chihuahuas: Mr. Son and Radar – blind dogs abandoned to the world that received a second home and her love, as well as many pets in need throughout the years. She was an active listener and confidant to many women suffering metastatic disease who feel forgotten by the medical world. She was an active member of the Metastatic Breast Cancer Network who champions the fight #stage4needsmore.

Mary passed away peacefully at Burke Hospice. She will be remembered as a good mother and wife, a woman who cherished her family, for her charming wit and smile, for her desire to push her students to achieve all that they can, and as a dearest friend to so many. She will be missed.

A receiving of friends will be held at Sossoman Funeral Home and Crematory Center on Saturday, February 6th from 11:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m. Reverend Timothy Horldt will lead a small memorial service at the funeral home after the receiving of friends. Memorial gifts may be made to the Metastatic Breast Cancer Network, c/o Ginny Knackmuhs, Treasurer, 477 Ackerson Ave., Wyckoff, NJ 07481 or to the fund to benefit Marianna and Makenna by making your check to First Baptist Church, P. O. Drawer 459, Morganton, NC 28680.