On August 24, 2025, God sent His angel to the Heritage Hall Nursing Home in Dillwyn, Virginia to bring Mary Elizabeth Toney home to be with Him. She was born in New Canton on July 22, 1944, to the late Clarence William Toney and Daisy Marie Scruggs Toney.

Mary was a graduate of the Carter G. Woodson class of 1964. Upon graduation, she headed north and attended Maryland State College which is now known as the University of Maryland Eastern Shore. She completed training to become certified in skills such as telephone operating, typing, voice and diction. Her firm belief in education, hard work and perseverance is clear as she not only obtained top government security clearance, but by the time she retired she had received several awards over multiple years for service and perfect attendance.

While Mary did not have any children of her own, she will always be remembered for her values and family pride. She loved her nieces and nephews as if they were her own. Not only did she encourage them to further their education, she also invited them to stay with her over summer vacations. She would give them a tour of Washington, DC which also included a good night’s sleep. From the National Mall to the Washington Zoo, you would walk for miles every day and if you were lucky there might be a bus ride somewhere along the way. At the end of every visit, you had firsthand examples of how your family tree was deeply rooted with resilience and fortitude.

Mary was preceded in death by: her parents; seven sisters, Shirley, Barbara, Lois, Diane, Darlene, Betty and Daisy Marie; and five brothers, Earl, Nathaniel, Curtis, William and Jerry.

Mary leaves loving memories to be shared among her two brothers, Clarence Toney and Jerome Toney; and one sister, Winnie Richardson and a host of nieces and nephews. While we couldn’t have asked for a better sister, aunt or friend she will always live on in the hearts of all those who loved her.