Mary Gill

Friendship is a garden…the more we sow, the better it grows. Mary Gill epitomized the ultimate gardener, nurturing friendships and flowers equally. Born on January 11, 1958 to Maud and Tom Gill, Mary grew up in suburban Maryland with her brother John. She graduated Mount Holyoke College and was an activist both as a student and in her early career. She fought for women’s rights at NARAL, organized for political causes, and made many friends during her early career years. In her mid-thirties, Mary became the training coordinator at the D.C. Bar Pro Bono Program. She continued her advocacy for the underdog by supporting those who represented D.C.’s low-income families. She also began to teach Pilates at Results Gym and later taught Yoga. She made new friends and had a vast network that spanned the DMV area. Mary was passionate about gardens and became certified in landscape design at George Washington University. After graduation, she became a landscape designer with Johnson’s Florist & Gardens in Maryland. After December 24, 2008, when Mary was diagnosed with Stage IV inflammatory breast cancer, Mary began her phase as a writer. In 2009, she penned her first Mary-grams, wry emails to her growing group of friends on cancer, life and friendship. In 2019, she published a memoir, Angel in a Basket, an epistolary tale with Mary-grams sprinkled in a larger narrative, full of witty stories, flashbacks and reflections on gardening and friendship. Her memoir paid homage to Maya Angelou’s quote, “Nobody, but nobody can make it out here alone.” Mary never failed to send a birthday and holiday card to her friends, even when she was in the hospital. Mary survived breast cancer, removal of a brain tumor, and numerous other challenges, 15 years beyond her physicians’ predictions. In her mind, they were only weeds to be pulled out. She wrote in her book “Friends are amazing people. Their assistance enabled me to stay in my house and be mostly self-sufficient.” While she paid tribute to her garden of friends, she also quoted the 13th century Persian poet Rumi in her book, “The real gardens are within, they are in man’s heart, not outside.” Mary is survived by her brother, John Gill of Miami, extended family in the U.S., U.K. and Australia and her earthly garden of friends.

Mary Gill

January 11, 1958 - June 17, 2024