*Correction: The Livingston County Sheriff's office now estimates that the accident occurred just before 1:30 a.m., and not at 4:30 a.m. as originally reported in this article.*
Senior Mary Kavanaugh, 22, died early Tuesday morning in a one-car accident in nearby Leicester, N.Y.
According to investigators, Kavanaugh was driving along Caledonia Road when her vehicle drifted off the road and rolled over around 4:30 a.m. Livingston County Sheriff John York told media that she may have been texting at the time of the accident.
A passer-by called 911 at 4:53 a.m. to report the accident. Kavanaugh was alone in the car and was pronounced dead at the scene.
Kavanaugh grew up in Sanborn, N.Y. and graduated from Starpoint High School in 2006. A communications major, Kavanaugh worked part time as a bartender at The Statesmen on Court Street and at Wadsworth Grill in nearby Piffard, both owned by Karen Uhl. In the wake of her sudden passing, friends and colleagues gathered to be with one another and remember Kavanaugh's vibrant personality.
"It's the ultimate tragedy," Uhl said. "She happened to be a gal that came out here and touched so many people. She had the opportunity through her job to meet all of the local folks who loved her."
"Mary was one of the nicest bartenders here," said Eric Rounsville, an employee at The Statesmen.
"She was the most fun-loving, caring person you could possibly meet," said Kevin Jacobs, a bartender who worked with Kavanaugh. "Mary literally would give you the shirt off of her back … there was never a frown, always a smile."
Friends remembered Kavanaugh as an energetic girl who was full of life and never missed a beat when it came to helping out a friend.
"I was blessed to have known Mary," said senior Tom Wilder. "She had a contagious smile and brightened the life of everyone who knew her. I have never and will never meet a more genuine, caring, amazing person than Mary."
Pete Kingston, a friend of Kavanugh's, described her as being "down to earth" and "tons of fun." "I guarantee you will not find a person who will say a bad thing about her," he said.
"I became friends with Mary over the summer when we both lived in Geneseo," said senior Susan Boyd. "She's one of the nicest people I've ever met, and I'm always going to miss her."
Alumnus Jacob Button remembered Kavanaugh as being "the most amazing, energetic, full-of-life person" he had ever met.
"Mary was the one that promised every guy that if they weren't married by 40, she'd marry them," said sophomore Michael Ruggiero. "Everyone knew that if she could, she would have married every single one of us."
A funeral for Kavanaugh will be held on Saturday, April 10 at 10 a.m. at Immaculate Conception Church at 4671 Town Line Road in Ransomville, N.Y.