Mary Ellen “Mickey” Trescott (Art, 1948-1953) arrived at The Harley School in the fall of 1948, fresh from graduating from Nazareth College. She brought a way of being that students would remember decades later—a quiet generosity, an unwavering kindness, and a deep belief in the power of creativity. Known affectionately as “Mickey,” she taught art at Harley until 1953, instilling in her pupils not only a love for the arts, but a sense that creativity was something to be shared freely, without expectation of recognition or reward.
That spirit was captured beautifully by her students in the 1953 yearbook, dedicated to her upon her departure. “There is something indefinably wonderful about a person who continually gives help and asks nothing in return,” they wrote. “Yes, Mickey will do it,” became a familiar refrain—spoken with trust, gratitude, and affection. The words reflect a teacher who showed up again and again for her students, offering patience, encouragement, and care in ways that could not be measured, only felt.
Nearly seventy years later, in 2017, Mary Ellen—by then Mary Ellen “Mickey” Trescott Urzetta—returned to Harley for the Centennial Celebration weekend’s Emeritus Faculty Breakfast. She was delighted to reconnect with former students who still remembered her and the impact she had made in their lives. Several alumni from the 1950s in attendance that weekend shared that she was just as beautiful as they remembered!
Mary Ellen’s life beyond Harley was marked by the same grace and devotion. After leaving teaching to raise her four children, her family became her greatest passion. She lived with beauty, strength, and gentleness, grounded in faith and guided by kindness. She passed away on September 11, 2023, at the age of 97, leaving behind a legacy of love that extended through generations of family, friends, and former students.
Recently, her daughter, Helen, discovered a small but telling artifact tucked away in her mother’s files: a newspaper article from November 13, 1948’s Democrat and Chronicle, about Harley’s Sadie Hawkins Day. “I couldn’t resist sending this article to you…it must have been the first fall she was teaching at Harley!” She felt is was a reminder that even then, at the very beginning of her career, Mary Ellen understood the value of moments, community, and school life at Harley.
