Mary L. Beato, Age 94
It is with heavy hearts that we announce the passing of Mary L. Beato (Aunt Mary/Zia), a beloved sister, aunt, great-aunt, great-great-aunt, and cherished member of the Fairport community. A lifelong resident of Fairport, Mary lived a remarkable life filled with faith, family, friendships, travel, and a love of staying active. She leaves behind a legacy of strength, independence, devotion, and countless cherished memories.
Born in 1932 to Italian immigrants, Florence (Stolt) and Joseph Beato, Mary was deeply proud of her Italian heritage and her Fairport roots. She lived her entire life in the home her father built from a Sears Craftsman kit—a house that remained her home and a place filled with generations of family memories.
Mary was incredibly proud of her career at Kodak, where she worked for more than 35 years. A trailblazer in her own right, she was one of the first women to become a manager at Kodak. She took great pride in her work and in the career she built through her intelligence, determination, and strong work ethic.
Faith was at the heart of Mary’s life. A deeply devoted Catholic, she attended the Church of the Assumption in Fairport her entire life. Mary loved going to Mass every day and treasured the friendships she formed through her church community. She especially looked forward to Tasty Tuesday and the meals and fellowship at Durf’s after Mass. Her faith and her church friends brought her tremendous joy throughout her life.
Mary also had a wonderful sense of adventure and loved to travel. She made numerous trips to Italy, returning time and again to a place that connected her to her family’s heritage. She also skied the Swiss Alps, traveled to Ireland, Medjugorje, and many other destinations, always enjoying the opportunity to experience new places and make new memories. Two of her most recent trips also fulfilled a longtime dream of seeing her favorite singer, Andrea Bocelli, in concert. In 2023, Mary traveled to New York City, where she had the unforgettable experience of sitting in the front row at Madison Square Garden to see him perform. Then, in 2025, she traveled to Washington, D.C to see Andrea Bocelli once again. These trips and the memories made with those she loved were especially meaningful to Mary.
Mary enjoyed staying active and did so throughout her life. She loved skiing, tennis, and golf and enjoyed the friendships and fun that came with each. Mary volunteered at Daystar Kids helping children and families with complex needs and was a “Cuddler” at the NICU at Strong Memorial Hospital. Mary also loved gardening (flowers were her favorite) and big family gatherings with food; a particular joy was the Beato family reunion in 2025 that she helped to organize. She approached life with energy and enthusiasm and never seemed to let age stand in the way of enjoying the things she loved.
One of Mary’s later-in-life accomplishments was her book entitled “Spiritual Awakenings”. In it, Mary recounts her experiences of the supernatural – starting with her trips to Medjugorje in the 1980’s. Mary wrote the book not only to share her experiences, but also to encourage others to look for such gifts in their own lives.
Family was everything to Mary. She had a special love for all her nieces and nephews, as well as her great-nieces and great-nephews and great-great-nieces and great-great-nephew. She took pride in watching her family grow through the generations and cherished each and every one of them. Her love for her family was unwavering, and the memories she created with them will be treasured for generations to come.
Mary lived a long and extraordinary life—one marked by faith, family, hard work, adventure, and friendship. She was a woman who knew what she loved and embraced it fully: her faith, her family, her friends, her Italian heritage, her work, her travels, and an active life. She will be deeply missed by all who had the privilege of knowing and loving her. May Our Lady welcome her home.
Friends and family may call on Friday, September 18th from 4pm-6pm at Richard H. Keenan Funeral Home (EGYPT LOCATION), 7501 Pittsford-Palmyra Rd. Fairport, NY 14450. A Mass in celebration of Mary’s life will be held at Church of the Assumption in Fairport on Saturday, September 19th at 10:00am.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Perinton Ambulance (www.perintonambulance.org/donate) or Shepherd Home (www.shepherdhome.org/memorial-donation/).
11 responses to “Beato, Mary L.”
Dear Beato family, so many happy times with Mary. I remember when my late husband and I bought our first home on East Street between Mary Basil and her mother and Mary and her mother Florence. We were so blessed. My father and the Menaguale family also grew up in Fairport and were friends with Mary and many of the Italian Americans that settled in Fairport. Thank you for teaching me the art of making the St.Joseph Bread and making the beautiful table when Fr Beatini asked you to help and all the dedication of love and service to Assumption Parish. May perpetual light shine on Mary.
Aunt Mary was such a light. I always enjoyed seeing her at Willow events and talking with her about how much she loved to travel and her wonderful family. Sending much love as you honor her life and legacy.
I met “Miss Mary” as a little child, going to daily Mass at Assumption in Fairport. She was the best, and we would have great conversations after Mass. I vividly remember that she would sneak me cool pennies or dimes from her purse, and I believed at one time that maybe she worked at the bank because she always had so many 🙂 She and the entire Beato family will remain in my prayers!
Mary was a real living Saint in every way. Full of compassion and always with a smile. I have known Mary for 30 years which is a short time compared to many. She will be deeply missed and forever remembered. Well done Mary.
Mary’s spirit was always so positive…..”blessed are the pure of heart, they shall see GOD “ Rest in peace Mary, you have earned your place in heaven!
Mary was special indeed. We knew her through her sweet emails and through Assumption of Mary in Fairport. Mary sponsored student scholarships with us through Joining Hearts and Hands, LTD. She touched the lives of young people in Kenya. Always caring about others, genuine and kind. May Mary now rest in God’s Tender Love and Embrace.
We just received the news of Mary’s passing in mass. We were shocked. Mary was such a blessing to our family. We loved our impromptu lunches and visits at her home. She have us all unconditional love. She had a strong devotion to Mary and ran a prayer group for a very long time. I volunteered side by side with her at Birthright helping young mothers. In many ways she was like the divine Mother herself full of unconditional love, encouragement, speaking praises and uplifting our entire family in life. Especially our kids, even attending their graduation celebrations. She was indeed full of grace. She will be missed dearly. May her soul rest in eternal repose with Christ. The Karekos family
I am deeply saddened to hear the news of Mary’s passing. She was a true blessing to all that she came in contact with. She loved her Church of the Assumption parish and a blessing to many ministries through the years. She greeted everyone with her beautiful smile and loved unconditionally.She had a deep devotion to our blessed mother and taught us all it’s importance. I am blessed that my path crossed with hers and I will cherish the love that we shared for one another always. Sending heartfelt condolences to the entire Beato family. I know the bond that each of you shared with her. I am so sorry for your loss.Thete is no doubt that she has a seat at our Lords table. Rest in Peace Mary and may perpetual light shine upon you. 🙏
I was very ill as a baby and needed to be baptized immediately. The priest at Fairport picked out a 17 year old girl and a young man as my Godparents. Mary was my Godmother and took her responsibilities very seriously. We were close for all these years. We did not see each other much but did keep in touch. She was a wonderful role model for me and I will miss her terribly. The last time we were together was wonderful and I will cherish it forever. I love you Mary.
Mary was my 1st Kodak boss in 1966. She was sweet and wonderful and helped me get ahead. She and Donna Pfarrer were best friends.
My love and prayers are with all of you at this time. Aunt Mary was truly an angel among us who radiated God’s love and care to everyone she met. She is the most beautiful shining example of embracing Jesus’s perfect love and extending it to her beautiful family, friends, to all of us. You are so loved Aunt Mary.