Mary Philomena DeCoste (née Finnerty) passed away surrounded by the love of her daughters on June 15, 2026, in North Andover, Massachusetts. She is survived by her daughters, Mary-Michelle DeCoste and Angelique Lyons DeCoste; Angelique’s husband, James Arthur Pitkiewicz; and Mary-Michelle’s son, Eli DeCoste Makynen. She was preceded in death by her beloved husband, Robert William “Bob” DeCoste, and her brother, Michael Gerard Finnerty.
Mary was born in Boston on April 19, 1938 to Mary Josephine (née Feeney) and Michael Bernard Finnerty, both immigrants from County Galway, Ireland. She grew up in the tight-knit Irish enclave of Mission Hill. A proud graduate of Mission Church High School in 1955, Mary earned a Diploma in Nursing from St. Elizabeth’s Hospital School of Nursing in 1958 and furthered her education at Boston College, graduating with a bachelor’s degree in nursing in1961. Over the course of her career, Mary touched many lives while working as a nurse for Liberty Mutual Insurance Company and at Glover Memorial Hospital in Needham (now Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital–Needham).
On August 22, 1964, Mary married the love of her life, Bob DeCoste, at St. Theresa’s Church in West Roxbury. In 1968, they settled into their home on Cranberry Lane in Dover, where they lived for over 50 years in a house they truly cherished and a neighborhood they loved. Here they built a beautiful life, raising their two daughters: Mary-Michelle, born on April 4, 1970, followed by Angelique, born on January 25, 1972. Mary and Bob were active and devoted members of Most Precious Blood Parish, where they volunteered many hours and built deep, lasting relationships within the community. Mary and Bob shared many wonderful, happy years together in Dover until Bob’s passing in 2019. In 2021, Mary moved to North Andover to be closer to Angelique. Her faith in God, her kindness, and her deep love for her family and friends will be forever cherished.
Visiting hours will be held at George F. Doherty & Sons Funeral Home, 477 Washington Street, Wellesley, on Thursday, June 18, 2026, from 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. A Funeral Mass will be celebrated at Church of the Most Precious Blood, 30 Centre Street, Dover, on Friday, June 19, 2026, at 11:00 a.m. A private interment at Highland Cemetery in Dover will follow the Mass. Family and friends are then invited to gather for a reception at Papa Razzi, 16 Washington Street in Wellesley.