Mary Lou Koenig

Mary Lou H. Koenig, after a long illness, passed away on November 1, 2017. The daughter of Elizabeth and Albert Herbst, she attended the Neville Island Schools, PA. Upon completion of high school, she attended Carnegie Mellon University where she studied violin. An active member in the Chi Omega Fraternity, she graduated in 1956 and was hired as a music teacher in the Neville Island School District.
She married Peter S. Koenig, Sr. on June 5, 1959.They moved to DeWitt in 1962 and remained in DeWitt for the rest of her life. During that time, they had three children. She made sure to give each of them a chance to grow and learn. In fact, some of the time in those years she "played" the logic games in Lewis Carroll's Alice's Adventures in Wonderland. In the 1970's Mary Lou went to Syracuse University Law School and graduated in 1979. Never one to shy away from work, she wrote on to Law Review by writing a note analyzing the 13th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. Shortly after graduation, she was hired to join the Office of Student Affairs at S.U. overseeing the Judicial System. From her position in Student Affairs Mary Lou was selected as the Dean of Students at S.U. and held that position from January, 1981 until June, 1989. While in that position she worked with many students in the University Community. Many students remain grateful for the help Dean Koenig provided, noting that her assistance played an important part in their graduation.
Mary Lou was active in a wide variety of volunteer organizations. A member of Pebble Hill Presbyterian Church in DeWitt, she served as both a Deacon and an Elder. Along with a close friend they developed the CEP program, which involved inner-city churches and Pebble Hill. She was also active in Church Women United. She was part of the Permanent Judicial Commission for the Northeast Synod of the Presbyterian church, working on cases brought regarding the role of clergy in the church. She was elected to the Presbyterian Church, USA Permanent Judicial Commission. She served on that PJC for six years and was the moderator during the final two years of her tenure on the Commission. Her volunteer activity extended into communities surrounding DeWitt. She was a board member for the Visiting Nurses Association, Meals on Wheels, YWCA, and Vera House. Active for more than 30 years, she took great pleasure in reading and writing papers for The Portfolio Club.
Toward the end of her life, Mary Lou rediscovered her interest in watching sports. A long-time fan of Syracuse University's Men's Basketball, she cheered when the team won the national championship in 2001. The New York Yankees, the best team in baseball, was her other main sports interest. She was a great lover of dogs, especially Collies.
She is survived by many friends and people whose lives she affected. Among those remembering her most clearly are Charlotte Brown, Molly King, Tammy Senecal, and Marlene Williams.
Special thanks should also be given to her friends at Sunnyside Care Center: Sophie, her daughter Shari Evans and husband Al Morgan; Alice and her daughter Nancy Hood. The lunch table shared many good times during Mary Lou's stay.
She is survived by her husband Peter S. Koenig, Sr. and her children Peter S., Jr. (Kirsten); Heidi (Bob Hagaman); and Matthew. Grandchildren include Peter III and Andrew Koenig; and Thomas and Katherine Hagaman.
A memorial service to celebrate the life of Mary Lou Koenig will be held at some point yet to be determined.