Mary Antil Lederman, a teacher, a poet, a mother, a grandmother, a great grandmother, a political activist and a singer/performer, at age ninety-four, died peacefully at her home in Charlottesville, Virginia on Saturday, January 25.

Mary was born on April 3, 1925, in Los Angeles, California to French Acadian Michael Charles Antil, her father and full-Irish Mary Holman Antil, her mother.   

Always a lover of the arts, Mary, as a teenager, was a singer in the Round Up Riders band, entertaining army troops home on leave. On Friday nights a young Mary traveled many miles to sing and perform for wartime square dances to support the cause.

Mary graduated from Syracuse University in 1946 where she majored in English with a minor in French and Spanish.  She received the Phi Beta Kappa award for being the most active member of her graduating class.  Mary later earned a Master of Education in Foreign Languages from the University of Virginia.

Mary met her husband (Captain Donald G. Lederman) in 1946 at Syracuse University following his tour of duty as lead pilot for twenty-two of thirty-three B17 bombing missions. Mary earned a Phi Beta Kappa key at Syracuse University, graduating magna cum laude, in Liberal Arts, and was eternally devoted to romance languages. Mary and Donald G. Lederman were married on December 26, 1946 in Cortland, NY.

In recognition of a distinguished career in teaching, Mary was inducted into the Albemarle High School HALL OF FAME.  Mary taught French, Spanish from 1964 to her retirement in 1987.  “Madame” was so loved by her students, and she never forgot any one of them. In 1986, Mary Lederman was recognized for her Excellence in Foreign Language Education in Virginia and awarded the FLAVA award. 

Mary was predeceased by her husband, Donald; and, her sons, Thomas Charles Lederman, Ted Curtis Lederman and her grandson, Aidan Graham Lederman. 

Mary is survived by her sons Timoth Craig Lederman (Karen) and Terence Carl Lederman;  her daughters-in-law, Marilyn Lederman (Thomas) and Patti Mueller (Ted).  She is also survived by her grandchildren, Lela (Turner) Ingram, Kelsey (Adam) Ferralli, Michael Lederman, Kerienne Lederman and Katherine (Justin) Pryor, great grandchildren, Margot Graham Hutchens Ingram and River Turner Ingram and her brothers Frederick Antil, Jerome Mark Antil and James Antil.  Mary is also survived by numerous nieces, nephews and lifetime friends.

A special thank you to all the wonderful caregivers provided by Open Arms Helping Hands and Hospice of the Piedmont.

Visitation will be held on Friday, January 31 from 10:30 AM to 11:30 AM at St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church, 401 Alderman Road, Charlottesville, VA; followed immediately by A Mass of Christian Burial. Interment will be at Monticello Memorial Gardens at 1:00 PM.

Condolences may be sent to the family at www.hillandwood.com.

Au revoir, Mademoiselle Mary Antil Lederman et merci.

Bon voyage.

Submitted by Sue Critzer Hughes.