Maureen Marchese
12/1/2016

Maureen Marchese, 78 years old, passed peacefully on December 1, 2016, at the Hebrew Healthcare Home in West Hartford, CT.

Maureen was born in Rockaway Beach, Queens, NY, August 11, 1938, to Thomas and Margaret Barry. She was the older sibling to her brother Thomas who preceded her in death.

In her late teens, Maureen was known for her movie star good looks and her incredible talent as a jazz singer. She won so many talent shows that she gained the attention of Joni Mitchell’s agent who offered her a contract deal. Maureen recorded a wonderful record, but decided not to pursue her musical talents further. Instead, she chose to enter the convent, the Sisters of the Precious Blood in Brooklyn, NY, where she vowed silence and chastity. Ultimately, because of her mischievous spirit and an outgoing personality, she decided that the life of a cloistered nun was not for her. She left after 6 months. Soon thereafter, she met the love of her life, Michael Marchese. They raised two children, Michael and Jamey, and they lived and grew up in Pearl River, NY.

The gifts that Maureen passed on to her children were: her passion and love for music, her witty sense of humor, her ability to tell a great story, and her example of living life with incredible resilience and faith. While Maureen suffered her whole life with a severe mental illness, she never stopped reaching out to life with tremendous courage and a kind and loving heart.

She is survived by her children, Michael residing in Napa, CA, and her daughter Jamey who lives in Boston, MA.

A Funeral Service is scheduled on Monday, December 5th, at 10:00am, at the St. Theresa of Avila Chapel, 2078 Centre Street, West Roxbury, MA. Burial to follow at St. Michaels Cemetery, Roslindale, MA. A friends and family gathering will be at Sharron Sawyer’s residence from 12:00-4:00pm, at 825 South Street, Unit #2, Roslindale, MA. In lieu of flowers, donations can be sent to The Stanley Medical Research Institute (SMRI), 10605 Concord Street, Suite 206 Kensington, MD 20895, a non-profit dedicated to Schizophrenia and Bipolar Disorder Research. Website: stanleyresearch.org.
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Gormley Funeral Service
2055 Centre Street
West Roxbury, MA 02132
617-323-8600