Mary Ellen Carollo

Mary Ellen Carollo
1955 - 2015

Mary Ellen Carollo (nee McMahon), 59, of Ithaca NY passed away on Tuesday, May 26 at Hospicare of Tompkins County, following a valiant struggle against an inoperable brain tumor over the last two years.

She is survived by her devoted husband, Frank Carollo, also of Ithaca; her son from a previous marriage, Matthew Vendryes of Davis CA; her mother, Florence McMahon of Buffalo NY; her siblings and their families: Thomas and Bonnie McMahon of Harrisburg PA, Christine and Darryl Duink of Hamburg NY, Susan and Brian Schuldeis of Royal Oak MI, James McMahon of Dansville NY, Janet McMahon of Buffalo, John McMahon of Westfield NY, Joseph McMahon and Gail Steinhart of Ithaca, and Patrick and Helene McMahon of Buffalo; her in-laws and their families: Frank Carollo Sr. of Gambrills MD, Diana and Robert Reynolds of Crofton MD, and Sandra Pope of Potomac MD; and many members of her extended family, former in-laws, friends, and colleagues. Her beloved father William McMahon predeceased her in February 2008.

Mary Ellen survived as long as she did as a Hospicare resident for most of the last year, where she was able to rest in comfort and, ultimately, to pass away peacefully.

Mary Ellen was born August 15, 1955 in Westfield NY. She was raised there and attended high school at Westfield Academy, where she participated as an AFS exchange student in Greece in 1972. She graduated from St. Bonaventure University in 1977 with a degree in mathematics and then embarked on an outstanding career in software engineering, solely with IBM Corp., that spanned 37 years. Among her many contributions were numerous technical innovations, and she was a holder or co-holder of seven patents issued to IBM during her tenure. She spent most of her career at the IBM facility in Endicott NY and worked there until her illness forced her to take disability leave and, later, to retire long before she should have.

Mary Ellen lived in Central New York since the early 1980s, residing in Berkshire, Newark Valley, Owego and, finally, Ithaca. After her previous marriage, she married Frank Carollo in 1998. She was a lifelong avid reader, a dedicated walker for fitness, and a knowledgeable and passionate fan of the Buffalo Bills. Among her many interests, she particularly enjoyed dining out, going to the movies, and generally being active and having fun with the wide circle of people she knew and loved.

She was a conscientious and regular blood donor, and an enthusiastic volunteer for a number of good causes and local organizations, such as St. Catherine of Siena Church, Habitat for Humanity, Project New Hope, and Big Sisters, among others.

Recognized by all who knew her as a sweet and loving woman devoted to her family, perhaps Mary Ellen's finest quality was her great generosity of spirit. The most impressive demonstration of her magnanimous nature was her insistence that she and Frank take in his elderly parents when they could no longer live on their own. In fact, she chose the house she and Frank bought in Ithaca specifically because it was configured to enable Frank's parents to live there, too.

Even at the end of her life, she remained thoughtful and considerate of others, and maintained a positive outlook and unfailing politeness for family, friends, and the Hospicare staff as they cared for her. Even during the most challenging times since she became ill, she maintained a selfless concern for everyone who came to visit, and did her best to put them at ease during some very difficult moments. Her generosity continued after her death as well: she has given the gift of sight to some deserving person by donating her eyes to the Central New York Eye & Tissue Bank for transplantation.

Mary Ellen Carollo will be remembered always as a kind and generous person, and a truly lovely woman of grace and integrity.

Friends may visit with the family at Bangs Funeral Home in Ithaca on Sunday, May 31 from 4-7 pm , and a Mass of Christian Burial will be held at St. Catherine of Siena Roman Catholic Church in Ithaca on Monday, June 1, at 10 am . A celebration of her life will be held in Ithaca in the near future.

In lieu of flowers, Mary Ellen's memory may be honored by contributions to support Covenant House, Habitat for Humanity of Tompkins County, Hospicare of Tompkins County, the Mary Ellen Carollo Fund at National Brain Tumor Society, or Tioga County Rural Ministry, or by donating blood to American Red Cross or local blood banks. Arrangements are by the Bangs Funeral Home.