On Wednesday, May 13, 2015, Mary Elizabeth (Shea) Murray entered into eternal peace. She passed away after a short illness at UMass Memorial Hospital surrounded by her loving family. She was predeceased by her husband of 65 years John H. Murray, Jr.
Known as “Sheasie” to her friends, Mary was born on February 11, 1927, in Worcester. She was the second daughter of Irish immigrants, Patrick and JoHannah (Doyle) Shea. She graduated from Commerce High School, class of 1945 and The Worcester Business School. Later in life she attended Quinsigamond Community College and Worcester State University. While in high school she was a cashier at Brocklemen’s Grocery Store on Main Street, Worcester. She loved to point this out to her children every time she drove by the building and tell stories of a Worcester that existed long ago. Once she graduated, she took employment as a bookkeeper at the former Duffy Manufacturing, located in Cherry Valley. She enjoyed her time there and, recently, was so excited to be able to take a tour of the building and reminisce. Once her family arrived she took on the “job” she loved most and became the best mother she could be. In later years she did return to work outside the home at Quality Kids Kare Pediatrics, retiring at the age of 79.
Being a mother was so important to her. She was very involved in her children’s lives and could be called upon in a second to help in any way. While her family was young she volunteered at schools and became a Den Mother. She was fun to hang around and always had stories to tell. She loved to sing and listen to music. Education was important to her and she made sure that all six of her children continued their schooling past high school. She taught us all to have a good work ethic by example. There wasn’t any task that she wouldn’t tackle. In later years she took on the title of “semi-professional mover” as her children left home for school or apartment and moved - even across the country. She was always ready, with rag and bucket in hand to scrub floors and walls or wallpaper walls. As her 23 grandchildren began to arrive she was always willing to babysit or take them for the day just for enjoyment. Parks and feeding the ducks were high on her list. She tried to be as involved in their lives as she could be, attending their many sports events, school plays, first communions, graduations and weddings.
Mary was devoted to her faith. She attended daily Mass for many years – first at St. Paul’s Cathedral and then at the Chapel at St. Vincent’s Hospital. She was an active member of Our Lady of the Angel’s Parish for 60 years, serving as a Greeter and Eucharistic Minister right up to her passing. For many years she also volunteered at Fairlawn Hospital as a Eucharistic Minister for the sick. She taught CCD at both Our Lady of the Angels and St. Paul’s. She became an Associate of the Sisters of Mercy. She prayed the rosary everyday at least once, but if someone she knew was going through a difficult time she would pray another rosary and offer it up for them. Through her example she taught all her children the meaning of faith. She also volunteered for the Worcester Senior Center delivering the monthly SCOOPS newsletter.
She was excited about anything Irish. Mary was proud to be a member of the Ladies Auxiliary of the Ancient Order of the Hibernians, Division 36. She played Irish music at home and in the car and had wonderful memories of her parents “rolling up the carpets” on Saturday night and inviting family and friends for an evening of Irish reels and jigs. She was so happy she was able to take a trip to Ireland to meet her extended family and see the farms where her parents were brought up. It helped fill an emptiness she always felt about not getting to know her relatives while growing up.
Right up until last week you could find Mary out in her yard planting new flowers. She took great pride in her home and could be seen sweeping the sidewalks, mowing the lawn and keeping up with holiday decorations. She will always be remembered for being the lady she was.
She leaves behind her six children: Carolyn (Sahdev Raj) Passey of Holden, Maureen (James) Girouard of Millbury, Janet (Roger) Steele of Worcester, John P. (Janice) Murray of Holden, Ann Marie (Michael) Thompson of Oxford and Linda (James) of Kingston, RI. She leaves 23 grandchildren: Michael (Jennifer) Passey, Katelyn (Mark) Pe, Sean (Lauren) Passey; Matthew Girouard, Kathryn Girouard and fiancé Jesse Guzzetti; Patricia, Tracy, Juliann and Ann Marie Steele; Thomas, Katie Bridget, Daniel, Colleen, Johannah, John and Patrick Murray; Christopher, Jennifer and Michelle Thompson; Mary (Christopher) Stonaker, Lisa (Christopher) McStay, Eileen Miller and fiancé Christopher Schroff, and Julia Miller. She also leaves 7 soon to be 8 great-grandsons, Eamon, Liam, Colin and Declan Passey; Noah, Alexander and Baby Pe; and Malowe Stonaker. She leaves her sister-in-law Helen Shea, the Cahill and Gully cousins, many nieces and nephews and her special friend Sister Rita Mary. Besides her parents and husband she was predeceased by her sisters Margaret Knox and Kathleen Shea, her brother Donald F. Shea, brother-in-law Walter D. Knox, in-laws John and Evangeline Murray, brother and sister-in-law Daniel and Clara Leary, and nephews Joseph Leary and Joseph Shea.
The family would like to thank all of her doctors, but most especially Dr. Ninan Polackal for the exceptional care and concern he always showed her. We would also like to thank the nurses at UMass Memorial Hospital who helped to make her final days comfortable and especially the nurses and doctors in CCU. They gave the family the strength we needed to make very difficult decisions and treated Mary with the upmost respect and dignity. She had a special place in heart for her pastor Father Charles Monroe and we would like to thank him for all he did for her and the family during the difficult time of her passing.
A visiting hour is from 10:00 A.M. until 11:00 A.M. Saturday, May 16th in O’CONNOR BROTHERS FUNERAL HOME, 592 Park Avenue. The funeral will follow with a Mass at 11:30 A.M. in Our Lady of the Angels Church, 1222 Main Street. Burial will be in St. John’s Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to Our Lady of the Angels Family Center Fund, 1222 Main Street, Worcester 01603.