Mary Fleming

Chevy Chase, MD - Mary "Polly" Duke
Wight Fleming, 108, of Chevy Chase, MD, formerly of Bloomington,
passed away at noon on Thanksgiving Day, (Thursday) November, 28,
2013 at Manor Care Nursing Home in Wheaton, MD.

Polly was born on December 3, 1904
in Bloomington, a daughter of John and Grace (Cheney) Fletcher
Wight. She married Rudd Fleming on December 27, 1932. He preceded
her in death on October 22, 1991.

A graveside service will be held at
1 p.m. on Friday, December 6, 2013 at Evergreen Memorial Cemetery
in Bloomington with Pastor Chris Nitzel officiating. A memorial
service will be held in January in Chevy Chase, MD.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may
be made to Illinois Wesleyan University Drama Department.
Kibler-Brady-Ruestman Memorial Home in Bloomington is assisting the
family with arrangements.

She is survived by two sons,
Jonathon (Cris) Wight Fleming, Chevy Chase, MD and William
(Catherine) Rudd Fleming, Bloomington; two daughters, Mary (Robert)
Cheney Sheh, Palos Verdes, CA and Joan Sample DeVrieze, Seattle,
WA; fifteen grandchildren, and thirty two great grandchildren.

In addition to her husband, Rudd,
Polly was preceded in death by her parents and son in law, Theo
DeVreize.

She was descended from early
settlers of McLean County and raised in Bloomington. She attended
Miss Hall's School in Massachusetts and graduated with a degree in
French literature from Smith College in the Class of 1927. She
received a Doctorate in French literature at Bryn Mawr College and
Brown University. From 1928-1952 Polly taught in the French
Departments at University of Illinois, Brown University, University
of Maryland and the Institute of Contemporary Arts in DC. Her
husband, Rudd was a popular professor in the English Department,
University of Maryland.

She loved the theater and was a
member of Theatre Lobby. She was active in the Tricoleur Theatre
Club and for many years produced an annual Christmas play at the
Metropolitan A.M.E. Church in DC. She was a member of The Women's
Club of Chevy Chase and the Washington Bridge League,and the
History and Art Club of Bloomington. Swimming was an integral part
of her exercise program and she remained vigorous and alert until
she broke her hip at the age of 107.

The family spent many summers in
Bloomington, visiting Polly and Rudd's parents and later their son,
William who practiced medicine in Bloomington.

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