Mary Rosenthal Fournier, 76, of Morehead City, North Carolina, passed away peacefully on Friday, October 30, 2026, at Carteret Landing.

A memorial service to honor Mary ’s life will be held at 2 p.m., Saturday, November 7th at Munden Funeral Home, officiated by Rev. Patrick Whaley. Interment will follow at Greenwood Cemetery. The family will receive friends one hour prior to the service. For those unable to attend, the service can be viewed through her obituary page on Munden Funeral Home’s website.

Born on May 12, 1950, Mary was born and raised in Rochester, New York to the late Ernest and Jean Rosenthal. She was the youngest of four children and had one stepbrother with special needs who she took care of all his life. Mary grew up enjoying the outdoors, was a "swim dancer'' and an athlete. She took a gap year between high school and college traveling the world and singing with "Up with People" and can even be spotted on a few YouTube videos.

Mary then attended and graduated college in from Theil College in Pennsylvania. It was there in Pennsylvania through mutual friends that she met her husband, Claude. They lived in Pennsylvania and welcomed their first daughter Elise while there. Claude worked outside as a contractor; they got sick of the cold and snow and had friends who loved North Carolina. They somehow settled in Morehead City and moved their family and business in 1986. They welcomed their second daughter Adelle in 1989.

Mary was a life-long Presbyterian and strong Christian woman. She was a longtime member of First Presbyterian Church where she served as a deacon, an elder, on the missions committee and in countless other roles with the church. Mary was also a choir member for many, many years. Family Promise and Guardian ad Litem were two groups that were close to her heart. She and her daughter Adelle were founding members of the mother-daughter volunteer organization, National Charity League. Mary was an active committee member who served many hours in various community groups volunteering alongside Adelle and building special memories. Mary and Claude were also long-time members of the Carolina East Singers musical group, performing live concerts twice a year together with friends in the choir.

In her professional endeavors, Mary worked at the Carteret County Health Department for several decades in various roles including Health Educator. She appeared on local television quite regularly and was very enthusiastic about educating the community on resources and issues. Mary was also pivotal in bringing the AIDS Memorial Quilt to Carteret County. Mary was always characterized throughout her life for truly "seeing" and advocating for the marginalized, the underprivileged, the elderly and the young. She had a saint's heart and was always an introverted, quiet but strong steady force advocating for others in her work, volunteerism, and personal life.

As a wife and mother, Mary was the constant and self-less caregiver, always putting family first. She worked but was still very dedicated to cooking healthy but delicious meals nightly. Some of her most treasured recipes include Zucchini bread, Giant Chocolate Chip Cookies, Chicken Broccoli Casserole and Crab Dip. Mary was revered for providing a welcoming home where family and friends always felt her warmth, steadiness, and dedicated presence. Favorite family memories include vacations to the Outer Banks with the same family friends who introduced Claude and Mary all those years ago, trips to the mountains, enjoying cooking and music at home and going each year to the NC Symphony and the Festival of Lights at the Civic Center.

Mary loved bird watching, walking, singing, and music. Her favorite movie/musical was Rogers and Hammerstein's "South Pacific".

Those left to cherish her memory include her loving husband of 46 years, Claude, and their beloved red Poodle, Louie; her daughter, Elise Gay, and husband, Mitch, and their children, Webb and Adelaide, all of Morehead City, North Carolina; and her daughter, Adelle Hayden, and husband, Evan, their son, Archer, and daughter, Maeve, of Sebastian, Florida.

In addition to her parents, Mary was preceded in death by her brothers, James, Ernest, and Richard; and her sister, Ellen.

In lieu of flowers, the family invites you to honor Mary’s memory by making a donation to the Women’s Alzheimer’s Movement. Donations may be made by mail to P.O. Box 931517, Cleveland, OH 44193, or online at thewomensalzheimersmovement.org.

Family and friends are welcome to submit online condolences at www.mundenfuneralhome.net.

Arrangements by Munden Funeral Home & Crematory in Morehead City, NC.