Tess Harris

I got to know Mary at the Marketing Trust. She was a kind, very smart astute woman with a lifelong commitment to marketing. She will be missed by many people and organisations who she engaged with over the years. Thank you Mary and RIP.

John Andrew Kinghorn Luke

Mary - A lady and a scholar and an inspiration to many - rest in peace.

Judith Smith

In memory of my dear friend

Laurie Wood

To Mary. Thanks for the memories - a truly inspirational lady whose courage and passion will live on.

David Refson

In memory of our dear friend Mary who will be sadly missed

Rebecca

Mary has been a fantastic friend and supporter of the RSA Student Design Awards for many years through her role as Chair of the Marketing Trust. I first met Mary shortly after I joined the RSA back in 2013 - we had lunch together, hit it off straight away, and I remember thinking ‘what a remarkable woman’! It’s been a real joy to work so closely with her on the RSA Student Design Awards as our partnership with the Marketing Trust has continued in the 7 years since. I will really miss Mary’s shrewd yet compassionate questions and feedback for students on the judging panels, her presence celebrating with us at every Launch event and Awards Ceremony, and our conversations liaising on the developments of new competition briefs rooted in big social challenges. Mary brought such care and attention to all of her interactions with the RSA Student Design Awards; her passion for the Marketing Trust’s work and the individual charities it supports was so tangible. Over the years thousands of young people who have participated in the SDAs have benefited from that support. Thank you Mary - you have positively impacted so many through your life and work, and we are so grateful.

Jordan Short

I will remember your generosity and hospitality with a helping of spirited debate. Rest in peace, Mary.

Stephen Short

I will always remember our Christmas celebrations with fondness. Rest in peace.

John Hartley

Anonymous

She is gone You can shed tears that she is gone Or you can smile because she has lived There are many years of terrific memories to recall.

Brian & Elizabeth Varley

Dear Mary We are so sorry to hear that your life has ended in this way. We remember you with sincere affection. Brian having worked with you for a number of years. We will always remember the very enjoyable Gosforth Park nights as your guests. our children fondly remember the goodie boxes we brought home from them! We come, and we go - it is what we do in between that matters - you have packed your life full of wonderful activity - we are very proud to have known you.

Joe & Alison

Fond memories of visiting Brunton and West Avenue as a child. Mary was always the same, full of drive and energy and this continued throughout her life. She will be sadly missed at our family gatherings as she was the last of that generation.

Melanie and David Short

Celebrating Mary’s generosity of spirit and friendship. Many memories shared and we were with you until the end. Loving thoughts.

Terry and Liz Wilson

Mary was an inspiring, larger-than-life character, much respected in north east advertising business circles, as well as the many charitable, private and public sector bodies that she served. Throughout her life she supported marketing’s national professional body, the Chartered Institute of Marketing, receiving numerous awards culminating in an Honorary Fellowship of the CIM in 2018. When I started working in advertising in 1978, I was an opinionated 21-year-old, Mary was the tough female MD in a male-dominated business – a potential clash was surely on the cards. However, that clash never happened, Mary and I saw eye-to-eye from the outset and we went on to develop a close working partnership which lasted till her retirement in 2011, and beyond. Mary never really gave up working. Setting up Kinghorn-Davies Advertising in 1983, we went on to service local, national, and international clients with a no-nonsense approach to business that was Mary’s hallmark. She had the happy knack of getting along with everyone. Her genuine interest in people, in business, and in industry of every kind was infectious and never faltered. Though you could never separate Mary from her work, she was also a warm and generous friend to many, a renowned host and raconteur who seemed to have boundless reserves of energy. I am proud to have worked with Mary for so many years, and I’m pleased to have been a close friend for even longer. She will be sadly missed, but not forgotten.

Jenny Walton

Mary was a huge supporter of the Media Trust over the years and the power of communications to inspire social good. A great friend of our charity.

Nigel Coates

Mary had enormous energy and enthusiasm and was a person people enjoyed being with.

The Marketing Trust

Mary was an outstanding Chairman of the Marketing Trust. In this role Mary raised the profile of the Marketing Trust with all the good work the Trust supported including funding the Academy of Marketing Doctoral Colloquium (which she enjoyed attending and meeting the doctoral students and the professoriate mentors), research grants to marketing academics, Royal Society of Arts’ Design Awards (Mary was a respected judge), Young Enterprise and many other initiatives.

Cllr Tom Mason MSP

It has been a privilege to have known Mary and there is no doubt she has made a difference to all she has touched.

Patricia Watson and David ellis

Will be remembered with much love an sffection