Mary Caroline (Gerlinger) Leto

Mary C. Leto, 75, of Bluffton, South Carolina beloved wife of 56 years of Angelo Leto passed away in the comfort of her home on October 20, 2022 after a courageous battle with cancer. She was born in Queens, NY on October 29, 1946, the daughter of late Alphonse M. and Josephine Gerlinger (Francher). Mary was an accomplished artist whose interests were incredibly diverse.  After earning a degree with honors in studio arts, she interned at Dieu Donne Papermill in NYC and decided to pursue a life of papermaking and book binding. She followed her heart to create for decades.  Mary’s books and paper sculptures have been shown nationally and are in many private collections.  Teaching classes at her studio, local galleries and art centers brought her enormous joy. Her work is documented in several publications and has received many favorable NY Times reviews. Mary had a quest for knowledge that was unparalleled.  Her love of books was evident by her expansive and ever-growing library and she had the uncanny ability to know exactly where to find any book amongst her vast collection in the blink of an eye.  Perhaps as impressive was her bottle collection….each one a treasure found digging in centuries old pits.  Her bottles are a beautiful extension of a fascinating woman.  Buttons, plates, bones, yellow ware bowls, Walt Whitman books, friends and family….Mary surrounded herself with the things she loved.  In addition to her husband Angelo, she is survived by her loving children and grandchildren, Andrew, Linda, Michelle and Angelo Leto, Michael, Cyndi and Alyssa Leto and Joanne, Frances and Vincent Hackett.  Her beautiful sisters Johanna Schoepfer, Patricia Gabrielli, late Gabrielle Foley, Paula Uhl and Danielle Gerlinger made the term sisterly love come to life.  Her extended family included 9 delightful nieces and nephews as well as several wonderful brother and sister in laws.  Mary C. Leto lived life with passion, grace and love….blessed are those whose lives she touched, she will be dearly missed.