Mary Louise Washington, a longtime resident of Elkins Park and an actively engaged member of her community, passed away on January 21. She was 83 years old.

Washington served the Cheltenham Township Police Department for 45 years as a crossing guard within the Myers community.

She was also known as a dedicated local historian. A Patch reporter dubbed her “Cheltenham’s Caretaker” in a 2011 article for helping area residents research the history of their homes or trace back their family trees to discover long-lost ancestors.

“I help people understand their property and street names — what it was like for them in the past,” Washington told Patch.

According to her obituary, her interest in local history grew in part from her Elkins Park house—originally constructed by Toby Leech, one of the original fourteen founders of Cheltenham Township in 1682.

Washington began serving the Cheltenham Township Historical Commission in 1997, although her involvement and participation began earlier through her late husband, Jack, who was a founding member of the Commission in 1969.

She also served as a docent and tour guide at the Richard Wall House Museum and was a longtime volunteer board member, recording secretary, and vice president of the Old York Road Historical Society in Jenkintown.

She additionally served as an archivist for the Old York Road Genealogical Society for many years, her obituary said.

“Other activities included the Cheltenham Twinning Committee (with the original Cheltenham in England), and a re-enactor at Graeme Park and Hope Lodge where she served many examples of fine old hearth colonial cooking,” her obituary said.

Mary Louise Washington’s full obituary can be found here.

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Photos: Patch