Mary Kristofa Diggs

Mary Kristofa Diggs, 74, of Bethlehem, Pa., passed away on Thursday, April 16, 2020 at her residence. Mary was born on June 20, 1945 in St. Louis, MO to the late William and Eunice (Nelson) Diggs.

In 1963, she graduated from Millburn High School, Millburn, NJ and in 1967 she graduated from Mary Washington University Fredericksburg, Va. with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in English. She spent one year at University of Madrid, Spain in 1967/68 where she studied Education and the Humanities.   

After receiving her PhD from Montclair State University in English, Mary worked as the English Department chairperson, supervisor of English in the Newark, NJ public school system from 1986 to 2005 before retiring. Previously she taught English in the Newark, NJ public school system from 1971 to 1985. Mary was a member of the Northampton County Election Commission, Morning Star Rotary and the Newark Pre-School Council Board. She was the founder and president of the Newark, NJ Council for the Humanities. She was an avid reader, was very involved with the Republican Party in Northampton County, but above all she loved spending time with her family. 

SURVIVORS: Mary will be lovingly missed by sister, Eileen Diggs Dunn of Bethlehem; brothers, William P. Diggs III and wife Beth Diggs of Half Moon Bay, CA and Edward D. Diggs of New Florence, MO, nephews, Gregory J. Dunn Jr., wife Audrey Markoff  Dunn of Boston, MA and Christopher E. Dunn, wife Nancy Li, and their children Christopher Ptolemy and Eileen Kristofa Dunn of Bethlehem PA; stepson, Sharif Diggs of San Diego, CA ;9 other nieces and nephews and 6 grand nieces and nephews; many cousins in the Midwest and Norway.    

SERVICES: Funeral Services will be private and at the convenience of the family due to the current public health concerns. An online visitation and funeral service will be held on Friday, April 24, 2020 from 10:30A.M. to 11:30 A.M. Please contact the funeral home for more information. Arrangements have been entrusted to the Cantelmi Long Funeral Home, Bethlehem. A memory tribute may be placed at www.cantelmifuneralhome.com. 

CONTRIBUTIONS: In lieu of flowers contributions can be made in Mary’s memory to the National Pancreatic Cancer Foundation.

An online visitation and funeral service will be held on Friday, April 24, 2020 from 10:30A.M. to 11:30 A.M. Please contact the funeral home for more information. 

To send flowers to the family, please visit our floral store.