Mary Gertrude Tynan Kelly (Solomon), 73, passed away on Tuesday evening, March 4, 2025 at Carilion Roanoke Memorial Hospital.
Her painful battle against gall bladder disease and its horrible effects was gallant and courageous to the end. She smiled as long as she was able to.
A prolific volunteer, Mary helped with virtually every community event held in her beloved hometown of Buchanan. The Fourth of July Carnival, Magic Mountain, the Buchanan Theatre, the Sunflower Festival, and many more, all enjoyed Mary’s tireless service year after year. For four years she was president of the Buchanan Elementary School PTA. An unpaid volunteer, Mary daily performed chores and provided leadership that kept the school moving forward.
Mary was born on June 24, 1951 in Roanoke. Soon after, her father bought a farm in nearby Springwood and the family moved there. A devout Catholic, her father enrolled Mary in Roanoke Catholic School in first grade and she graduated there in 1969. She studied at Hollins College, earned her associate degree with honors from Ferrum College, and received her Bachelor of Science degree in Dairy Science in 1973 from Virginia Tech and worked for a time in research.
But Mary was a people-person, so she became a waitress and bartender. She loved telling customers about the sights and virtues of Buchanan and her extended community. She lifted the spirits of everyone she met. No one ever had a better friend than Mary.
Among her other endeavors, for half a century she helped take the U.S. Census.
Preceded in death by her father, Francis Mortimer Tynan, and mother, Margarette Kathrine Jewell Tynan, Mary is survived by her companion of 35 years, James Solomon of Buchanan; daughter, Bambi Tynan Landes and husband Chad of Rockbridge County; grandsons, Bryson Tynan of Fairfield, Va. and Layne Landes of Rockbridge; sisters, Clara Boggs and husband Mark of Troutville, Rena Worthen of Springwood, and Therese Powell of Clay County, Ala.; brother, William Tynan of Springwood; a host of nieces and nephews, among them Sylvia Powell of Buchanan.
Mary would be proud to solicit donations to support Solomon’s Mission of Buchanan, where services for her were held on Tuesday, March 11, 2025 at 3:30 p.m., with family visitation at 2:30 p.m. Burial was in Fairview Cemetery, Buchanan.
