Mary Ann Curley, 81, who taught fourth grade for 39 years at , passed away Nov. 9, the Philadelphia Inquirer reported.
Ms. Curley, of Bala Cynwyd, attended , graduated from West Chester State Teachers College (now West Chester University) in 1952, and received a master's degree in education from Temple University.
"A whip-smart woman with perfect diction and a room-filling presence, she despised bad grammar," wrote Inquirer scribe Michael Matza. "A Penn Wynne principal once likened her to Mary Poppins."
Ms. Curley was an avid gardener, bridge player and active member of , near her home. She was also a lifelong member of the Neighborhood Club of Bala Cynwyd.
"Friends say she was her community's Rock of Gibraltar, civic conscience, and institutional memory," Matza wrote. "She was the neighbor who held the spare keys to everyone's house and heart."
