Mary (Cowan) Carola, of Tampa, Florida, passed away at age 79 on June 30, 2019, surrounded by her family.  Mary was born and raised in Staten Island, NY until her family moved to Tampa. She graduated from Brewster Tech High School and later studied to be a dental hygienist at MacDill AFB while in the Naval Reserves.

While visiting her brother Jimmy Murphy in Staten Island, Mary met and fell in love with his best friend Albert Carola, a gifted jeweler who apprenticed at the acclaimed Tiffany & Company in Manhattan. Mary and Albert were married in 1964 and started their family. Even though she was Irish, Mary became a gourmet Italian cook by following the recipes of Albert's late mother Anna Russo Carola.

Mary and Al moved to Tampa Bay in 1974, where they opened a custom jewelry design and repair business, Brandon Jewelry Center.  She also earned her realtor's license.

Community service was very important to Mary. In New York and Florida, Mary organized many fundraisers for the Muscular Dystrophy Association, which she loved to call "Jerry's Kids". She also kept busy as a volunteer with the PTA and directing Vacation Bible School at Apostles Lutheran Church in Brandon. Mary also volunteered countless hours for national, state, and local campaigns throughout her life, beginning with President Kennedy in 1960, including President Clinton in 1996 (earning an invitation to Clinton's second inauguration), and ending with local campaigns in 2000.

In the next chapter of her life, Mary experienced her greatest joy being a grandmother to her four beloved grandchildren, and being a member of Temple Terrace Church of Christ.

Mary leaves a strong legacy for her family - she taught them to love singing, italian cooking, being of service to others, and to hold their spiritual journey and connection to God sacred.

Mary was preceded in death by her father Thomas Cowan, mother Helen Murphy, brother James Murphy, and husband Albert Carola. Mary is survived by her daughters, Mary Theresa Cowan, Anne Marie Carola (Jeffrey) Huggins, and Kat Carola (Ashley) Rader; brothers, Thomas Cowan and Douglas Cowan; and grandchildren, Austin Rader, Bailey Rader, Christian Rader, and Ethan Huggins.

A celebration of life service, officiated by Rev. J Ricc Rollins, will be held on Tuesday, July 23, 4:00pm at Serenity Meadows Memorial Park & Funeral Home, 6919 Providence Road, Riverview, Florida, 33578.