Mary Catherine Corr

Mary Catherine Schmidt Corr (Mary Cay), age 84, passed away November 20, 2021 at UNC Hospitals in Chapel Hill with family at her bedside.

Mary Cay was born in 1937 in the Bronx, New York, where she grew up. She graduated from Marymount Manhattan College and taught history in New York City. In 1959, she married Dr. Francis (Frank) Patrick Corr, an electrical engineer with IBM. Mary Cay and Frank lived in Nice, France, where two of their five children were born. They also lived in Maryland and Zurich, Switzerland, before moving to Chapel Hill in 1976.

Mary Cay completed her Master of Education in Instructional Design at UNC-Chapel Hill. She taught television production in the Durham City Schools. For most of her career, Mary Cay produced statewide K-12 educational programs for UNC-TV including the award-winning series High School Assembly.

After retiring, Mary Cay volunteered as a docent at Duke University’s Nasher Museum of Art and as a health specialist at AARP. 

Always civic-minded, Mary Cay served on several boards of directors for non-profit organizations including the Chapel Hill PTA Thrift Shop, OPC Mental Health Foundation, Club Nova Clubhouse for Mental Illness, and the Durham Literacy Council. She was also an active communicant of Holy Infant Church in Durham, where she was a lector for many years.

Mary Cay was an intrepid world traveler and enjoyed regaling her many associates with engaging tales of her adventurous journeys. Her exuberance, confidence, and charm brought many close and lifelong friends to consider her as extended family.

Mary Cay was predeceased by her beloved husband of more than 35 years and her brother John Schmidt. She is survived by daughters Dr. Maripat Corr (Jeff Arnold) of San Diego, CA, Colette Corr (Chris Gale) of Greensboro, Suzanne Corr (Robert Brueckner) of Durham and Andree Corr (Steve Rickenbacher) of South Windsor, CT;  son Francis P. Corr, Jr. of Chapel Hill; beloved grandchildren Daniel Arnold of Santa Barbara, CA, Ryan Rickenbacher of Boston, MA, Adrienne Corr of San Diego, CA, and Jason Rickenbacher of South Windsor, CT; sisters Terry Domanick of Bronxville, NY, and Margaret Bush of Hernando, FL; and sister-in-law Winifred Schmidt of Manchester, NH.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated privately by the Holy Infant Church family. Memorial donations may be made to Club Nova, P.O. Box 1346, Carrboro, NC 27510.