Mary Christine Cage

Mary Christine Cage, aged 86, of Zionsville IN passed away peacefully on March 4th surrounded by her family following her several year battle with Alzheimer’s disease.

Born in Bath, England in 1938 to John and Dorothy Hill, Mary’s purpose on this earth was to bring joy and love into the lives of everyone she met. Steadfastly optimistic, caring, vibrant and energetic, she was always there to support anyone in need with grace and sincerity, be they family, friend or stranger – they were all “Lovely” in her eyes.

As a young girl, Mary attended City of Bath Girls School, where she forged deep friendships that she nurtured for a lifetime. She was a member of the Girl Guides, ultimately earning the honor of Queen’s Guide – an accomplishment of which she was justifiably very proud. As a young social worker in Bath, she dedicated herself to helping and comforting those in need. She fell in love with Roy while he was a student at the Royal Agricultural College and the two were married in 1961. Little did she know then that the farmer she thought she was marrying was actually signing her up for a life of international adventure. As the wife of an expat husband, Mary expertly assumed the role of CFO – Chief Family Officer – enabling her family to thrive as they moved from England to Germany, then on to France, Belgium - and ultimately the U.S – where she lived for the last 47 years.

Once settled in Carmel in 1978, she quickly became known to many as the real-life Mary Poppins thanks to her joyful loving spirit, her almost limitless energy and, of course, her charming British accent. She injected that spirit into several local organizations. She was a core member and leader of the Conner Trail chapter of Questers for over twenty years; delivered meals and smiles to those in need for over twenty-five years as a volunteer with Meals on Wheels; was involved for many years in the Carmel Historical Society; and was instrumental in helping build the Carmel Performing Arts Academy from the ground up. Blessed with an artistic flair – she created many beautiful stained-glass and needlepoint pieces– many of which now grace the walls of family and friends.

Mary’s proudest accomplishment by far was her family. She was an inspiration to her boys, and subsequently their wives and children – always challenging them to aim high, to spread love and kindness and to embrace all that life has to offer. She was a strong believer in the importance of nicely pressed clothes; the power of newspaper clippings – which she’d often send to family or friends; sending thank you notes for thank you notes; and a firm believer that there was no problem in the world that couldn’t be solved over a nice hot cup of tea and some delicious shortbread! Our world was a better place thanks to Mary, and she will be deeply missed by family, friends and the countless lives that she touched.

Mary is survived by her husband Roy, her three sons – Jonathan, Jeremy and David, their wives Julie, Pat and Stacy, and her grandchildren, Bradley and Elena.

A brief service to celebrate Mary will be held at the chapel in Hoosier Village at 11am this Saturday, March 8th. Donations can be made in Mary’s name to Riley’s Children’s Hospital or the Alzheimer’s Association.