Wooden children’s furniture can be found at the Mary Stanley Memorial Sale this weekend at the War Memorial Building. Toni Milbourne

SHEPHERDSTOWN — The Shepherdstown community lost beloved town resident Mary Stanley last year, when she was unexpectedly killed in a car accident. This weekend, community members can have a part of Stanley’s legacy, through a sale scheduled to be held in the War Memorial Building.

Stanley’s husband, Bob Smith, has donated a significant portion of the contents of their home as a fundraiser for the Shepherdstown Community Club, an organization that was near and dear to Stanley’s heart. The couple moved to Shepherdstown in 1995. In addition to moving their own belongings, Smith said that they closed a business they had run in Silver Spring, Md. and moved Stanley’s mother into their home, along with her possessions.

“That all happened at once,” Smith said, sharing that at that time they were able to gift many items, including a good many to the Shepherdstown Volunteer Fire Department.

Now it is time to give more, and Smith wants to ensure that his wife’s memory will continue to live on in her community.

“Mary had a lot of what I call ‘dreams,'” Bob said. “She was amazing in a variety of ways.”

Now her “dreams” are being offered to those in the community, who can purchase them at a sale that will benefit a place where Stanley dedicated many hours of volunteer time, including with the annual Back Alley Tour and Tea.

“She knew gardeners,” said SCC member Mike Austin, mentioning that Stanley was often able to provide a list of potential tour stops for the annual event.

“She really liked the Men’s Club, now the Community Club,” Smith said. “She loved being involved.

“I urge people to think of what they get out of the sale and think of Mary for it,” Smith said, mentioning Stanley had many interests and a penchant for buying gifts.

“She was amazing, in that she had a great ability to connect with people and to connect people together,” Smith explained, using quilting as an example. Many local quilters first became acquainted with each other through Stanley.

In addition, Smith said that Stanley had an affection for children; therefore, many children’s items will be found among the items at the sale.

Many antiques will also be found, some of which will be part of a live auction scheduled for noon on Saturday. The remainder of the items will be offered for sale between 9 a.m. and 6 p.m. on Saturday and 10 a.m to 6 p.m. on Sunday. Items will be available at half-price, beginning at 3 p.m. Sunday.

SCC members and other volunteers have spent hours sorting and boxing treasures at the couple’s home. They have now been unpacked, priced and put on display in the War Memorial Building, in anticipation of the Mary Stanley Memorial Sale.

“Mary had eclectic interests, a love for old things and anything unusual,” Austin said. “That included 35 large trash bags of ribbons, 40 boxes of various kinds of material, bolts of cloth and framed artwork.”

For those who would like to preview the sale items and shop a bit early, the club will open the doors on Friday evening from 6-9 p.m. for a pre-sale. Admission to the pre-sale is $25 for non-club members and free to SCC members. Anyone with questions should direct them to Austin at michael.austin@frontiernet.net.