Former long-term Bermuda resident, teacher and much-loved member of the St George’s community Mary Huseman passed away last week at the age of 88.

Born on January 13, 1928, Ms Huseman moved to Bermuda in 1950, arriving in style aboard the Queen of Bermuda, to work as a teacher at St George’s Preparatory School.

While she only worked at the school for about three years, she remained on the island until her husband James “Tex” Huseman, who worked for the Department of Defence, passed in 1986. She then moved to Pembroke Pines, Florida, to be closer to her children, but always felt St George’s was her home.

Her son Kurt described his mother as creatively gifted and kind. He told The Royal Gazette: “She was incredibly talented — she was the organist for the Stella Maris Roman Catholic Church and she often taught friends the piano.

“She was also a gifted artist and had done numerous paintings of Bermuda.

“The thing that everyone remembers about my mother was that she was a giving woman and her kindness was unparalleled.

“She was involved in civic activities in Bermuda — she participated in the Historical Society and the Bermuda National Trust and was a member of the St George’s Dinghy and Sports Club.”

Asked what Bermuda meant to her, Mr Huseman added: “They [my parents] didn’t live their life on the base, they lived their lives in St George’s — she considered Bermuda her home.

“Bermuda was paradise for her. As a young girl growing up around the war with all the shortages and gloom, Bermuda was like paradise.”

Family friend Graham Hillier said: “They were a family of five and basically they were our brothers and sister. They lived close to us in St George’s. We would wander in and out of each others’ houses and she introduced me to piano. She was a very devout Catholic and was well known and loved in the community.”

Another family friend Jacqui O’Shaughnessy described Ms Huseman as “a lovely, lovely person”.

“We were around each others’ houses all the time. She was a true mother and welcomed all the children. She was such a sweet, darling lady. She was one of those mothers who if you ever got hurt she would know what to do and she was always there for all the kids.”

Ms Huseman was the youngest daughter of Vittorio and Elvira Gianferrari who moved to England from Italy to set up a tailoring business.

She was the sister of Enzo and Roland and is survived by her children Diana, Kurt, Jeanne, Jeffrey and John along with 11 grandchildren and three great grandchildren.

She passed on May 26, 2016 with her daughter Diana at her side in Minneapolis. A graveside service will be held in Florida on June 3.