Mary Ruth Dooley (nee Searchfield) was born on November 20, 1947 and passed away from pancreatic cancer on November 21, 2025. She was 78 years old. Mary was beloved by her family and friends, co-workers, and even the nurses who cared for her.
Mary graduated from R.L. Thomas High School in Webster, NY, in 1965. As a single mother, she raised her two beautiful daughters, Bridget (44) and Kathleen (43). She balanced her working life with her role as a mother, and also spent more than thirty years volunteering with the LPGA. When she was 45 years old, she graduated with honors from Rochester Business Institute (RBI). In 2017, she retired from Unity Hospital, where she worked as the Executive Assistant to the Medical Director. Mary loved her family, all things golf, gardening, and her dog Buster.
Mary is predeceased by her mother, Ruth Hamilton (nee Lang), father Charles (“Red”) Searchfield, her step-father Cyril (“Cy”) Hamilton, her brothers Michael (“Ern”) and Patrick Searchfield, and her brother-in-law Tom Heaven.
In addition to her daughters, Mary is survived by her sisters Jean Marie Heaven, Margaret Searchfield, Dottie Pierce, and Debbie Brooks, her brother-in-law Patrick Brooks, her oldest and best friend Chris Scrivens, and a gaggle of neices, nephews, grand-nieces, and grand-nephews, and an uncountable number of friends.
Calling hours will be from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. on Friday, November 28, 2025, at the Richard H. Keenan Funeral Home (Egypt Location) 7501 Pittsford Palmyra Road, with a service following immediately after.
In lieu of, or accompanying, flowers, please consider a donation in Mary’s name to the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network at http://pancan.org.
4 responses to “Dooley, Mary Ruth”
Rest my friend rest.
You have lived a full life, touched many hearts, shared generously your own
Time to rejoice in the beauty of the LORD.
You life was full, and your legacy is large.
Your laugh was magical, and your eyes, deeply wise and soulful.
You were a good friend and I consider myself so blessed to be able to help care for you and your sweet Buster boy!
To her family I will pray for peace in your hearts and strength to carry on, always remembering the love for life your Mary had here, and the love you always have in your hearts. Peace and love to all who were privileged to be blessed by Mary’s love.
Mary worked on every high school reunion committee and was our organizer- she thought of everything! We have lost a good friend, and heaven has gained an angel. Peace and love to all Mary’s family and friends,
Mary was the sister I never had. As friends of over 60 years we shared many happy times. Thankfully we had time to chat at our recent reunion and over FaceTime prior to her passing. She will be sorely missed.
Mary and I met while working at Wegman’s Midtown in ‘67! We had lotsa fun times together. May she rest in peace. My condolences to the family