Mary Ellen Glass was for more than 20 years a very active participant in the astrology community in the United States. She was a past President and board member of the Baltimore chapter of NCGR and an active supporter of AFAN since its inception. Mary Ellen served as a member of the AFAN Steering Committee from 1988-1990 and was an active advisor. She also was a regular contributor to Mercury Hour. She taught astrology locally for years and lectured at the Seven Hills Conference and at NCGR Weekends. She was at the time of her death still a member of the Baltimore Chapter, but had been living in Tennessee for a number of years. As the tributes below attest, she was well-loved by her peers.

Jeff Jawer wrote for this memorial:
"Like a good Aquarius Moon, Mary Ellen Glass was a great friend of astrology. She never asked for anything for herself, but gave generously to organizations and individuals in our community. She wasn't a practicing professional astrologer, but cared as much about the field as anyone I know. Mary Ellen balanced her Aquarian idealism with a wicked Scorpio sense of humor and a laugh that no one who heard it will ever forget. And we will never forget you, dear friend."

Bil Tierney wrote for this memorial:
"I remember first meeting Mary Ellen in the early 1980s, and was immediately struck by how similar our irreverent brand of humor was; she at least certainly "got" all my zippy Uranian quips the first time around, which impressed me. I also loved being tickled by her own keen sense of the absurd. Who would expect two Scorpios to carry on like this? We took to each other very quickly.

"Mary Ellen was quite mentally sharp, yet never used her perceptive intellect to intentionally barb others. Mean-spirited would certainly NOT describe her. In fact, she loved to smile and laugh a lot, as she was still doing---at least with me---when we last saw each other at UAC '98 in Atlanta, Ga. I was always truly happy to see her whenever we got together at such conferences (and our great bear hugs and lively chatter proved it).

"We had some good times, and I'm glad I still have some of her creative material on paper. We both used to swap "funny astro-glyphs." For example, I remember Mary Ellen's drawing of a splashy puddle with a somewhat off-centered dot in it, which was how she represented the Sun in Pisces. She was very good at coming up with creative, funny, smart stuff like that, and got me going on it, too. We both also brainstormed the concept of "kooky keywords" (such as "Mars in Gemini" = angry elbows, itchy ideas, vital gossip).

"Other astrologers will mention different aspects of Mary Ellen Glass and her contributions to astrology, but these sweetly amusing memories of her are the ones I will cherish. She was a "one-of-a-kind" individualist, and I'm sure she's on the Other Side having a ball. I do hope our paths will cross again in a future life."

Stephanie Blevins sent her memories:
"The year was 1981 - I walked into the Avant Garde book store for my first class on Intro to Astrology. Sitting on the floor of the bookstore and chatting with the proprietress was a 30-something woman with wild reddish hair, wire framed eyeglasses and a huge infectious grin. She had a smokey whiskey voice and a laugh that bubbled up from deep in her belly. This was my introduction to Mary Ellen, my first astrology mentor and soon to become a dear and lasting friend.

"That first class we spoke about elements and modalities. She proceeded to give us a visual on the water signs which 20 years later I still use as a descriptive when talking with lay persons: Cancer is a glass of water - all safely contained, but fully visible to everyone; Scorpio is an ice cube (or more accurately an ice berg) floating in that water - contained, just a bit of it is seen above the surface while the hidden parts go very deep; for Pisces she took out the ice cube and casually tipped the entire glass of water onto the table - water without limits!

"She was one of a kind: a good friend and an excellent astrologer. She will be remembered as a teacher and lecturer and one who was always there on the forefront, aiming to bring astrology into it's deserved respectability. She spearheaded the effort of coordinating the (1988?) debate between astrologers and the physical sciences professors at Towson State University, Maryland, in which thebastrological team deported itself extremely well. She worked tirelessly on the committees of various conferences and on the board of the local NCGR and the newly formed AFAN.

"There was nothing she loved better than cavorting with other astrologers. Her annual Christmas party at her house on Guilford Avenue was a social staple for many years, and astrologers traveling through Maryland were always eager to spend the night on her lumpy couch. She dearly loved playing hostess and did it with style.

"Ah, Mary Ellen, you have left your mark! We raised a toast of brandy to you at your memorial, as you always wanted. A true Scorpio, she often said, "when I'm dead I want people to celebrate my life" and usually ended the statement with an expletive! Well, she left us plenty of life to remember and be celebrated."........Susan Blevins, Westminster, MD

Donna Cunningham's recollections:
"In the early days of AFAN, I used to delight in seeing Mary Ellen at conferences like ARC and NCGR. We'd gather a bunch of funny folks at night after the proceedings and would proceed to laugh ourselves silly until the wee hours. She had a great, irreverent, and impish sense of humor, though she was a dedicated and politically wise contributor to her organizations. We lost touch when I moved west ten years ago, and when I saw her last, at UAC in Atlanta, she was rail thin from a long bout of illness, but she hadn't lost that upbeat spirit and delicious laugh. I was so sorry to hear that she'd passed on."

AstroDatabank gives the following information, rated A, from her memory, which she gave out in Mercury Hour of April, 1985. She was born October 25, 1944 at 2:58 PM EWT in Chester, PA, 75W21; 39N51. She died at age 57 in December, 2001, after a long illness.

More Tributes to Mary Ellen Memorials A-K, Continued
To Memorials L-Z

DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING TO ADD? This memorial is interactive, and we welcome your memories and tributes, which we will add in the order received. (They may be edited for grammar, length, and suitability.) If there are any additional contributions we should mention or any inaccuracies in the memorial, please bring them to our attention. We would also love to have photos to bring back vivid memories. (Photos will be scanned and returned.) To suggest names, share memories, or create tributes, send us an e-mail.

CREDITS: Graphics created by Donna Cunningham of Word of Mouth Web Design based on clip art from Art Today. Mary Ellen's photograph was provided by Margie Herskovitz. The animated dove is from the Animation Factory.