121 Secondly, she always did what she thought was right. Even if that meant that things would get difficult for her, or that it would mean a lot of extra work. She wouldn’t stand by and let something happen that she wasn’t comfortable or happy with. For example, when coursework season hit in the Department she would be so conscientious. She would read, assess, reassess each piece until she was confident that she had marked every assignment as accurately and fairly as possible. The piles of coursework on her desk became almost labyrinthine - one for pile ‘have I been too harsh?’, another for ‘possibly one more mark’, and always a ‘come back to later’ pile. Thirdly, she always got things done. Mary worked very hard, was supremely organised and wouldn’t waste time telling you what she needed to do or what she had done - she would just do it. She wouldn’t stop until it was properly finished, even if that meant early mornings, late nights or work at the weekend. She was a real force in the School, working quietly and unobtrusively throughout each term. I remember on many occasions stumbling into school in the morning, congratulating myself that I had made it in before 8.15am and that I knew where my car keys were, and I would encounter Mary telling me that she had already ticked five things off of her to-do list. I have heard that, when she cleared out her office just before she retired, she had amassed over 100 confiscated fidget spinners - a real testament to how assiduous she was! Mary made such a difference. I hope she realised just how much of an impact that she had on all of us and how treasured she was as a teacher and colleague at Brentwood. By Ruth Coppell
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