Mercedes Audigier

Maria de las Mercedes Audigier (née Aguilar), 82, passed away on September 14, 2025 in her home in Kennett Square, Pennsylvania. 

Daughter of Matilde Aguilar (née Terán) and Walter Aguilar, she was born on August 29, 1943 in Potosí, Bolivia.  She graduated from the Sorbonne in Paris, France before pursuing a Masters in Arts from Dominican University in California. She initially taught Spanish at the University of California, Berkeley extension, before working at Western Airlines and then Delta Airlines as a reservations agent and at the ticket counter in San Francisco, California.  She also taught Spanish at the French American International School in San Francisco, California.  When her youngest child, Mark, went away to college, she returned to school to pursue first a Juris Doctorate and then a Masters in Laws in intellectual property at the University of San Francisco School of Law, in San Francisco, California.  She passed the California State Bar and worked for a San Francisco maritime law firm before retiring permanently. After retiring from her legal career, she and her beloved husband, Jean Audigier, moved from Hillsborough, California to Kennett Square, Pennsylvania.  She loved her new house in Kennett Square and especially loved the new friends that she made after joining the Kennett Square Country Club.  Her greatest joy was spending time with her husband, two children and five grandchildren.

She was preceded to heaven by her beloved husband, mother, father and older sister Beatriz. She is survived by her children: Sylvia Audigier Putnam of Bethesda, Maryland and her husband Michael; and Mark Alexander Audigier of Kennett Square, Pennsylvania and his partner Alexis; five grandchildren: Sean Putnam, Jack Putnam, Robert Audigier, Julien Audigier, and Olivia Audiguer; as well as many cousins, nieces, nephews, grandnieces, and grandnephews.

Mercedes was a deeply beloved wife, mother, grandmother, sister, aunt, cousin, and friend.  Her passing was due to complications related to Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease and Congestive Heart Failure. Her death was peaceful, surrounded by her family just as she wished.

While we lost our most beloved mother, many have lost a loved one in her. She was the heart of the family: generous, intelligent, industrious, and caring.  She was brave and followed the love of her life to leave her native Bolivia and forge a new life with him in the United States.  She was a realist by nature who was determined and hard working and truly believed in America and the American Dream. She prized family, education and learning and encouraged and supported both of her children and all five of her grandchildren in their studies. She also loved her friendships and was a natural leader.  She treasured her group of close Bolivian friends in California.  She joined and served as President of the Burlingame Hillsborough Newcomers Club where she pursued her love of bridge with many of her close friends.  After her move to Kennett Square, Pennsylvania, she prized her close friendships with her bridge friends and enjoyed playing bridge until her passing. In her later years while in declining health, she was taken care of by a group of incredible caregivers who showered her with love and attention; and for that she was eternally grateful.  Yet in light of her endeavors and passions, first and foremost she loved her family.  Throughout her adult life, her greatest source of comfort and joy was her family, with whom she was warm, loving and infinitely patient.  She was a true lady: a woman radiating elegance, who treated all those who crossed her path with unflappable politeness and kindness.

We invite you to share memories and photos of Mercedes.  It was her wish that we laugh and reminisce, and smile during this time.

Visitation with the family will be from 9:30AM until 10:00AM with a Funeral Mass at 10:00AM on Tuesday, September 30, 2025 at ST. PATRICK CATHOLIC CHURCH, 212 Meredith Street, Kennett Square.

To view the Funeral Mass via Livestream: click here https://venue.streamspot.com/66c95b9b

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