Exeter - Dr. Mary Ann Lachat passed away peacefully surrounded by love on the 11th of August after a long battle with cancer.

Mary Ann was born on August 18, 1940 in Winsted, Connecticut where she attended St. Anthony's School before attended the University of Connecticut, where she graduated summa cum laude with a Batchelor degree in Music, followed by a Masters of Education in Music History. She began her professional career in music as the choral director in the Tarrytown, NY and Darien, CT school districts.

She earned a Doctorate of Education from Columbia University, where she was active in early civil rights efforts.

While living in New York City she began a several decade devotion to choral music, singing in the Dessoff Choir and the NY Choral Society. She joined the Newburyport Choral Society in 1987, where she sang for almost 40 years, serving as Board President, Development Director and several other positions.

Mary Ann was the co-founder and president of Center for Resource Management, Inc., where she had more than 30 years of experience in leading statewide and national projects and evaluation studies focused on equity and achievement for diverse student populations. She was the co-developer of the "Special Education Program Improvement System" for the NH Department of Education. Dr. Lachat also led the national group that produced the publication Effectiveness Indicators for Special Education,which was the first national effort to integrate best practices from both general and special education She authored High Standards for All Students: Opportunities and Challenges that focused on the implications of standards-based reform for students with disabilities.

Along with her business partner, Martha Williams she co-designed CRM's Socrates Data System, a data warehousing application that supports extensive data analysis and program evaluation functions. She was the Principal Investigator of a five year study that examined data use and school reform in five urban high schools, and authored Data Driven High School Reform (2002) and Data Use in Urban High Schools (2004) for Brown University. Dr. Lachat also has authored publications on equity issues in school reform. Through an award given by the Education Alliance at Brown University, she was recognized for her national efforts in promoting diversity and equity in school districts across the nation.

The Center for Resource Management, housed at the Pease International Tradeport, was purchased by the Public Consulting Group in 2006, an international firm assisting state and national agencies in all aspects of government.

Beyond her many professional accomplishments, Mary Ann had a great zest for life and a deep appreciation for people and simple joys that made life meaningful. She was compassionate, wise, and generous. Friends often turned to her for advice, knowing that she would listen with understanding and would somehow find just the right words to offer comfort, perspective, or a little humor. She had a wonderful generosity of spirit and a gift for making those around her feel welcome and cared for.

Mary Ann loved bringing people together. She opened her home to family and friends, filling it with laughter, conversation, music, and good food. Many happy evenings were spent gathered around her baby grand piano, listening to her sing and play. She found great joy in the quieter pleasures of home as well—her beloved kitties, the beauty of nature, and the many birds who came to the "Bird Café" that Terri created on their deck overlooking the woods behind their home.

She is survived by her spouse, Terri Talas, her sisters-in-law, Susan Lachat and Toni Talas, her nephew John Lachat, his wife Denise, their children, Amy, Jennifer, and Riley as well as several grand nieces and nephews. She was predeceased by her parents, Paul and Freida Lachat and her brother Raymond Lachat.

Mary Ann will be deeply missed by her spouse, Terri, her close friends Martha (Marty) Williams, Jean Soucy, Sandy Brenan and Stephanie Roy, and by the many others who were fortunate enough to know and love her.

In lieu of flowers, donations to the Newburyport Choral Society are much appreciated. Their address is P.O.Box 92, Newburyport, MA 01950.

Mary Ann will be cremated by the Cremation Society of New Hampshire. A Celebration of Life will be held in the next few months.