Mary Louise (Mary Lou) Zanchi Garvey of Westborough, MA passed away peacefully on July 10, 2018. She and her beloved husband Robert (Bob) Garvey were married for 55 years and were the first couple married at the new St. Linus Church in Natick, MA. Mary Lou was born on May 11, 1940, to Victoria (Falconi) and Felix Zanchi and grew up in Natick, MA. She attended St. Patrick School in Natick, and Sacred Heart High School in Newton, followed by the Catherine Labouré School of Nursing. She enjoyed a long nursing career that took her from the West Roxbury VA Hospital, to Milford Hospital, Marian High School and the Bethany Health Care Center. Mary Lou is survived by her brothers, Angelo and his wife Lillian of Bangor, ME and Paul and his wife Judy of Franklin, MA.
Mary Lou’s 4 boys and 11 grandchildren were her pride and joy: Jeffrey and wife, Meg, and their children, Rebecca and Will (Westborough, MA); Matthew and wife, Meg, and their children, Ryan, Connor, Liam and Norah (Sutton, MA); Todd and wife, Linda, and their children, Jack, Lauren and Grace (Bethel, CT); and Kyle, and his children, Noah and Eva (Grafton, MA). She is also survived by many nieces and nephews. She is now with her nephew, Gregory, and her cousin and godson Stephen, who pre-deceased her.
Mary Lou was known for her abundant energy. She loved searching for sea glass at Duxbury beach, traveling to Aruba, and walking at Sunapee State Park NH with her beloved yellow lab, Sam. She was very artistic and enjoyed painting, making Christmas ornaments for her family, and especially counted-cross stitch, which all of her children and grandchildren benefitted from. She and Bob were very involved with NEHSA (New England Healing Sports Association) and Mary Lou took part in numerous ski-a-thons at Mt. Sunapee in support of them. They enjoyed traveling which took them to see family in Italy, on river cruises in Europe, and to the castles of Ireland and Great Britain. Her grandchildren always loved visiting Nonni and Papa and being served spaghetti and meatballs or homemade pizza, always on a starched checkered tablecloth, of course. They especially enjoyed hearing the story of how Nonni and Papa first met - at Everett’s Funeral home after a wake! Mary Lou was a life-long Catholic and her faith was very important to her.
The family will be receiving friends at Everett’s Funeral Home, 4 Park St., at Natick Common, Natick, MA on Sunday, July 15, 2018, from 2:00 pm – 5:00 pm. A Mass of Christian burial will take place at St. Linus Catholic Church, 119 Hartford St., Natick, MA at 10:00 am on Monday, July 16, 2018. Interment will follow at St. Tarcisius Cemetery in Framingham, MA. In lieu of flowers donations can be made to the NEHSA (New England Healing Sports Association), PO Box 2135, Newbury, NH 03255.