…mother of ten, active member of St. William’s; 83
TEWKSBURY - Mrs. Mary Frances (O’Toole) Forsyth, R.N., age 83, the mother of ten and a devout Catholic woman, died peacefully in the care of her family at her Tewksbury home early Thursday morning, April 11 after a long battle with hemochromotosis. She was the beloved wife of Richard (Dick) W. Forsyth, with whom she had celebrated a sixty-year anniversary this past May 17th.
Mary was born in Lowell, one of five children of the late Sylvester and Frances (Riley) O’Toole. She graduated from St. Patrick’s Girls’ School, and went on to become a Registered Nurse after graduating from the Catherine Labouré School of Nursing in Boston. Mary and Dick lived in Tewksbury with their family for over fifty years. In addition to raising her family, she worked as a nurse at the former St. John’s Hospital in Lowell and retired from Tewksbury Hospital after twenty-four years. Mary then finished her nursing career working for the Oblate Father’s Infirmary in Tewksbury.
Mary was active in many St. William’s Parish activities, including Marriage Encounter, Dance Club, and Sodality.
She enjoyed travel with her husband Dick and family as well as many excursions with the “Bus People”. Mary also enjoyed reading, quilting, crossword puzzles, mornings with the “Breakfast Club”, but especially enjoyed time surrounded by her extended family.
Besides her husband, she leaves nine children, Mary Ann Laferriere and her husband Gerry of N.C., Robert E. Forsyth of Chelmsford, Kathleen Laferriere and her husband Raymond of CA; Elizabeth D. Byrne and her husband Brendan of Reading, Thomas W. Forsyth and his wife Corinna of Seabrook, NH, Teresa M. Kirby and her husband Michael of Brentwood, NH, James J. Forsyth of Lowell, Margaret J. Davidson and her husband Brad of Lynnfield, and Maureen E. Baran and her husband Ignatius of CA; twenty-two grandchildren; six great grandchildren; a sister, Adeline Murphy of Lowell; many nieces and nephews; and was predeceased by her son Rick Forsyth as well as her siblings, Sylvester O’Toole, Edward O’Toole, and Patricia Nugent.
Visiting hours Sunday, April 14, from 3:00 until 6:00 p.m. in the Tewksbury Funeral Home, corner of 1 Dewey and 975 Main Sts. (Rte. 38) TEWKSBURY CENTER, Ph. (800 in MA or 978) 851 2950. Her funeral will begin Monday, April 15, at 10:00 a.m. from the funeral home, followed by a Funeral Mass at 11:00 a.m. in the Immaculate Heart of Mary Residence Chapel, 486 Chandler St., Tewksbury. In lieu of flowers, memorials to the Oblate Father’s Infirmary Fund, 486 Chandler St., Tewksbury, MA 01876 will be appreciated. visit: tewksburyfuneralhome.com