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MRS. W. G. WILLCOX, CIVIC WORKER, DIES: LIFE-LONG RESIDENT OF STATEN Special to The New YORK Times New York Times, Aug 11, 1933; ProQuest Historical Newspapers: The New York Times pg. 15

MRS. W. G. WILLCOX, CIVIC WORKER, DIES

Life-Long Resident of Staten Island Prominent for Her Charities. FOUGHT HEALTH MENACE

Joined Her Husband, Once Head of School Board, in Barring City Garbage Plant.

AVON, N.J., Aug. 10.

Mrs. Mary Otis Gay Willcox, widow of Wil­liam G. Willcox, former president of the Board of Education of New York, and noted in Staten Island for her civic and philanthropic activity, died after a heart attack at her Summer home here today. She was 72 years old. Mrs. Willcox was·born in the home at 101 Bement Avenue, West Brighton, S. I., which was her per­manent residence all her life. She belonged to an old Huguenot fam­ily. Her marriage took place in 1884.

In 1917, Mr. and Mrs. Willcox took leading roles in the fight to keep the city from establishing a garbage plant on Staten Island. The pro­posal was denounced by the Staten Island Civic League, of which Mr. Willcox was president. The couple largely financed the campaign against the project and finally, after two years, the State Department of Health ruled it down on the ground it would menace the public health.

Since her husband's death in 1923 Mrs. Willcox had continued her work in many fields of civic en­deavor. She contributed largely to the support of the Staten Island Hospital and of the Richmond County Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children. She was chairman of the Richmond County chapter of the American Red Cross, and a director of the League of Women Voters, the Girl Scouts and the Staten Island Institute of Arts and Science.

She belonged to the Staten Island Women's Club, the Woodrow Wil­son Foundation and the Richmond County Country Club, was for many years a trustee of Staten Island Academy and continued her membership in the Staten Island Civic League.

In April, 1929, Mrs. Willcox co­operated with the Park Association of New York City in its drive fort the development of three water­front parks on Staten Island. That December she was chosen honorary vice president of the city recreation committee, a group representing fifty-four agencies.

With Mrs. Willcox when she died were a son, Henry Willcox, and two daughters, Mrs. C. H. Kidwell of Boston and Mrs. Harold Dwight of Lake Placid. Also surviving are a son, Sidney of Staten Island, and a brother, Martin .J. Gay of Boston.

The body was taken to Staten Island late tonight.

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