Mary Wigser

Mary Ellington Smithwick Wigser, affectionately known as “Ducky” to her grandchildren, passed away peacefully with her daughters by her side on October 6, 2026, in Cincinnati, Ohio. Born on September 21, 1934, in Smithfield, North Carolina, to Norman Thompson Smithwick and Mary Ellington Smithwick, she celebrated her 92nd birthday with a fabulous dinner surrounded by her entire family just a couple of weeks before her passing.

After graduating from Wake Forest College with a BS in Medical Technology in 1957, she worked as the chief technologist of the blood bank at the Bowman Gray School of Medicine, where she met her future husband, Samuel Marcus “Mark” Wigser, who was completing his neurosurgery residency. The two married on March 21, 1964, and eventually moved to Cincinnati, Mark’s hometown, where Mary built a life centered around family, friends, and community.

Her husband, Mark, preceded her in death in 1990. She was also preceded in death by her parents and her beloved older brother, Jack.

Mary loved to travel and cook and had a particular fondness for frogs, which she collected in all forms, from jewelry to pottery, figurines, and paintings. She also loved plants, flowers, hummingbirds, dogs, and cats. She devoted over 25 years to volunteering in the gift shop at the Cincinnati Zoo, eventually serving as the chairman of the gift shop and overseeing all of the volunteers. Mary also proudly served on the board of directors of the Cincinnati Zoo.

Mary is survived by her daughters, Sarah (John) Carefoot and Debbie (Randy) Verderber; her son, Jonathan (Krista Patterson) Wigser; and her grandchildren, Anna, Ethan, and Abby Verderber. Anna’s boyfriend, Caleb, is also cherished as an “extra family member.”

She made friends easily and enjoyed the simple pleasure of sharing a meal, a conversation, a trip, or a good story. Mary was social and engaged right up until the end and will be deeply missed by her family and friends.

A celebration of life is being planned, check back for further details. 

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made in Mary’s memory to the Cincinnati Zoo or Hospice of Cincinnati.