Murilyn Meuse MacKay, formerly of Londonderry, NH passed away at the Laurel Center in Bedford, NH on July 17, 2013 after a lengthy period of declining health. Murilyn was born in Everett, Mass to Helen and Edward Meuse on December 18, 1925. She grew up in Everett and Dorchester and South Boston, and attended Girl's High School in Boston. Encouraged more than anyone by her Father to pursue her intellectual bents, Murilyn attended Northeastern University and was the first member of her family to graduate from a university, in 1947.
She began her career in social work and teaching, and always maintained a steadfast commitment to improving the lives of children and mothers who were less fortunate. She was a great lover of literature and journalism, poetry and especially American history. Murilyn was a lifelong Democrat, who embraced the music and politics of Woody Guthrie and Pete Seeger.
She married Donald MacKay in 1951. They lived in Massachusetts and Vermont and New York City, eventually settling in Londonderry with their two sons in 1963.
Murilyn had many and varied passions, including rug braiding, cooking and preserving, Shetland Sheepdogs and Suffolk sheep. Her travels to London and Paris, Morocco and Russia and China, were some of the highlights of her long and well-lived life.
She is survived by her sons Donald and Bruce, of Londonderry; Bruce's husband Peter, of Londonderry, her two grandsons, Nathan and Fred, also of Londonderry. She is also survived by her nieces Darlene and Linda, as well as many others from the east coast to the west.
Her family will hold a private memorial service in September. The Peabody Funeral Homes and Crematorium of Derry and Londonderry assisted the family with arrangements.