Mary Nousek Obituary

Mary Margaret Nousek

February 10, 1951 - November 29, 2025

Boalsburg, Pennsylvania - Mary Margaret Nousek, 74, of Boalsburg, died November 29, 2025, at home. Born February 10, 1951, in Baltimore, Maryland, she was the daughter of the late Joseph F. and Marie A. (Roche) Spear.

Mary Margaret attended The Catholic High School of Baltimore and Towson State University, where she received a B.S. degree in Biology. After graduation, she worked as a laboratory technician in Baltimore MD, Waukegan IL, Madison WI and Pasadena CA. This included working in highly prestigious labs headed by Prof. Charles Heidelberger in oncology/tissue culture at the U. Wisconsin, and Prof. Felix Strumwasser in behavioral neuroscience at CalTech.

On May 31, 1975, Mary Margaret married John Nousek at the Shrine of the Little Flower in Baltimore. Mary and John celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary earlier this year. They have three daughters: Lisa Marie Nousek, Esq. (UVA Law), who was a partner in the top 100 law firm of Boies, Schiller and Flexner in New York; Anna Elizabeth McGregor, Ph.D. (Duke) who is a teaching professor in marine biology at the U.Glasgow (Scotland); and Katrina Louise Nousek, Ph.D. (Cornell) who is a visiting assistant professor in German studies at Cornell.

As a young woman Mary greatly enjoyed outdoor activities including cave-exploring, canoeing, and camping. Later in life she took up lacemaking in many forms (bobbin, needle and tatting).

Her favorite vacations often involved substantial beach time at Wildwood NJ, Chincoteague VA, Cedar Point OH, and Charleston SC.

Mary Margaret greatly enjoyed supporting her daughters' many extracurricular activities, ranging from horseback riding and crew to violin, oboe, French horn and piano. She enjoyed working as a librarian in the State College Elementary schools while her girls attended. She also enjoyed traveling with family to visit Scotland, Prague CZ, Rome IT, Poland and Germany.

She was an excellent cook, who specialized in Czech and German cuisine. She is especially remembered for holiday dinners featuring Prime Rib roasts with Yorkshire pudding, Coptic versions of baklava, and her incredible buttercream mocha layered torte cake with 18 eggs and 4 pounds of butter.

She is survived by her husband, John Nousek, a Professor of Astronomy and Astrophysics at Penn State where he has served since 1981 as a member of the Faculty Senate representing the Eberly College of Science, and three daughters: Lisa M. Nousek of Briarcliff Manor NY; Anna E. McGregor of Cambuskenneth, Scotland (with son-in-law Ross McGregor); and Katrina L. Nousek of Ithaca, NY. She also has two grandsons, Lachlan and Jamie McGregor. She is survived by two brothers, Joseph F. Spear Jr. of Media PA (with sister-in-law Beverly) and William P. Spear of Jarrettsville MD (with sister-in-law Joyce Faby).

Visitation will be from 12 until 2 pm on Saturday, December 6, 2025 at Koch Funeral Home, 2401 S. Atherton St., State College, PA, 16801. She will be interred at Spring Creek Cemetery.

Memorial contributions may be made to WPSX TV, 100 Innovation Blvd., University Park, 16802.

Online condolences may be shared at www.kochfuneralhome.com. To plant a memorial tree in memory of Mary Margaret, please visit our Tree Store.