Mary Tracy Merrill, 78, of Mud Mill Road in Brewerton, died Thursday at home.  A native of the Bronx, Mary resided in Mattydale for many years raising her family before she moved to Brewerton in 1987.  She was the daughter of the late Thomas and Josephine (Flahive) Toomey.

            Mary owned and operated the Singer Mattydale Sewing Center from 1979-1993.  After retiring, she continued to service and repair machines for various school districts and Syracuse University.  Mary was a Girl Scout Leader and girls softball coach.  She was an avid bowler and a member of the "Brunch Bunch" at Strike-N-Spare Lanes.  She also loved her ceramics classes, creating many beautiful holiday decorations.  Mary was a longtime member of the Mattydale Volunteer Fire Dept. Ladies Auxiliary and a communicant of St. Margaret's Church where she served as Past President of its Confraternity of Christian Mothers.

            She was predeceased by her first husband, John J. Tracy, Sr., in 1966, by her sister, Dorothy Loftus, in September and by two brothers, Daniel and Thomas Toomey. 

Mary is survived by her husband Richard Merrill whom she had been with for the past 40 years.  Together they have raised their ten children: Maryann Tracy of North Syracuse, John Tracy of Liverpool, Mike Tracy of North Syracuse,  Patricia (John) Beaudoin of Cicero, Kathleen (Joe) Hunter of Brewerton, Thomas (Kathy) Tracy of Liverpool, Richard F. Merrill Jr. of CO, Mark (Karen) Merrill of Bridgeport, Timothy (Chris) Merrill of Mattydale, and Lisa (Thomas Hazard) Placito of Mexico;  a sister: Nora Toomey of Liverpool; a brother: John F. Toomey, Sr. of Mattydale; 30 grandchildren ; 11 great grandchildren; and many nieces and nephews.