Mary Elizabeth Perry Hildebrand (née Sorlingas) of Boulder City, Nevada died peacefully in her home on September 6, 2017 of natural causes.

The celebrated author was born, raised, and educated in New York City graduating magna cum laude from Columbia University with advanced degrees in literature and languages. She transferred this deep respect for knowledge by teaching at the Cathedral Preparatory Seminary located on the upper west side of New York.  She was a lifetime member of Phi Beta Kappa.  Her poems and short stories were published both nationally and internationally appearing in such prestigious publications as:  Interim, Parnassus, Orphic Lute and Poetry Review.  Additional publications include Olé, Olé, A Poetic Vision of Spain and Its People, Did You Ever See…?   One Down, Eight to Go, and Gathered Echoes.  In addition to writing poetry, she published and edited the literary quarterly, Pegasus, for 25 years.  She was a member of the National League of American Pen Women and her literary talent was recognized in Who’s Who in Poetry, Cambridge, Who’s Who in America, and Distinguished Women of Southern Nevada.

Mary Elizabeth was the fifth, and last remaining, of the seven children of John Sorlingas and Katherine (née Georges) Sorlingas of Kanalia, Greece.  She married John Arthur Perry, an executive at American Airlines, and had four children: Philip, of Boulder City, NV who predeceased her; David of Boulder City, NV; Susan of Northport, NY; and, John (Carol) of Washington, D.C.

After the sudden and untimely death of her husband, she relocated to Boulder City drawn by its sun, warmth, colors, and mountains.  She loved the desert and found its beauty to be both magical and inspiring, a place where she met and married Bert Hildebrand who also predeceased her.

Mary Elizabeth will be deeply missed by her five grandchildren:  Thalia (née Moshoyannis) Thompson, of Norwalk, CT, Phillip Moshoyannis, of Huntington, NY, Demetri Moshoyannis, of Castro Valley, CA, Christine Perry, of Grosse Pointe, MI, Jennifer Perry of Grosse Pointe, MI and great grandchild, Christopher Sparks, of Castro Valley, CA.

M.E. will be missed by her “Anam Cara” and collaborator Marge Lotspeich, by her many friends from St. Christopher’s such as Elizabeth Herridge, Shirley Putz, and Gerry Miller, by her ever vigilant caregivers Iona Schell, Ava Milts and Tracie Krosta-Buy, as well as by numerous gifted contributors to Pegasus.

Mary Elizabeth Perry Hildebrand lived for nearly a century.  She was an astute student of life, world traveler and keen observer. She loved and knew words.  Her voice may now be silenced by Death but her words will live on.

Connect

Send

down

your

cosmic

dust

in

silken

threads

adhesive as

spider’s

silver strands.

Spin a

slender

rope

to

bridge

the chasm

between

our worlds.

Then

weave your web;

I shall be

a willing guest

wrapped in

the cocoon

of your net.

Elizabeth Perry

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