Mary E. French, age 84, of Mathews, passed away Monday, Jan. 2, 2012.

Mary worked for many years as a waitress in local restaurants, and retired in 2007 from the Village Cleaners after several years of service.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Weldon and Myrtle L. Diggs; her husband, Clayton D. French; her son, William Davenport French.

She is survived by a son, Jim and wife Patsy French of Mathews; daughter, Donna Harris of Satsuma, Fla.; nephews, Robert Diggs of Lake Placid, Fla., Donald Diggs of Richmond, and Stuart Diggs of Texas; special cousins and extended family, Carolyn and Charles Milton Pugh, Nancy Dicus, Bill and Joyce Hudgins, Bob Hudgins, Bobby and Dee Diggs.

Special thank you to Dr. Matthew Bak and team of Eastern Virginia Medical School, Dr. Scott Kruger and Laurel and staff of Virginia Oncology Associates, and to Riverside Hospice.

The family will receive friends Thursday, 12 noon until 1 p.m. in the Foster-Faulkner Funeral Home, Mathews. A memorial service will follow the visitation at 1 p.m.

Memorials may be made to Riverside Hospice, 7358 Main St. Gloucester, Va. 23061 and/or Mathews Volunteer Rescue Squad, P.O. Box 723 Mathews, Va. 23109.