Mary Elizabeth Karpinski, age 85, passed away on 12/21/2023 at Penn Presbyterian Hospital with family present.

Mary Elizabeth was employed as an Executive Secretary for DuPont prior to becoming a full time mother. Once her son was of middle school age, she transitioned back to DuPont.

Mary Elizabeth - or "Liz" - was a member of Immaculate Heart of Mary Roman Catholic Church, a devoted wife (to Francis J. Karpinski, deceased) and mother, and a resident of Normandy Manor.

In her youth, she loved to paint and she loved to travel, globe-hopping with a tight-knit group of friends. She also loved the beach and she was a resident of Rehoboth Beach for many, many summers. Eventually, under the duress of a looming date-night, she learned how to cook through the guidance of one of her many aunts. Over time, cooking and baking became a passion that she shared with her family and her friends. At one point, one of her nine-year-old neighbors declared that her chocolate chip cookies were the best in the world and he wondered, out-loud, why his own mother's cookies didn't pass muster. She was sweet and humble to a fault and she would never want an obituary to boast about how amazing, courageous, and resilient she was.

Mary Elizabeth was the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. John and Mary McNamara (both deceased), and the sister of Richard Pattrick McNamara (deceased), and the wife of Francis J. Karpinski (deceased). She is survived by John Karpinski (son), Genevieve Coutroubis (daughter-in-law), Genevieve "Vetta" Karpinski (granddaughter), Eileen McNamara (sister-in-law), Snoopy (grand-pup), as well as the many other family and friends who were nurtured by her presence throughout her life.

Services will be held on 01/03/2024 at Krienen-Griffith Funeral Home, 1400 Kirkwood Highway, Wilmington, DE, at 11:00 AM. Friends may call at Krienen-Griffith from 10:00 -11:00 AM. Interment will follow at Cathedral Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, please make contributions to: https://casaphiladelphia.org/