Lucille G. McNally, a 47-year resident of Tewksbury, MA, passed away unexpectedly on May 25, 2025, at the age of 71 with her family by her side. A beloved wife, mother, grandmother, sister, aunt and friend, many would often call her Lucy. She was a thoughtful, generous, strong, loving, and kind woman who loved her family fiercely.
Born in Lowell, MA on September 23, 1953, she lived on a farm in Dracut, MA as a young child before moving to Lowell, where she attended Catholic schools and graduated from St. Joseph’s High School in 1971. She held several clerical positions early in her career before transitioning into sales, working mostly in the semiconductor industry for companies such as MACOM, Alpha Industries, and Skyworks Solutions, before retiring in 2018 from Tecomet, a medical device company in Wilmington, MA.
She had a love of music, especially anything from Paul McCartney and the Beatles, or Fleetwood Mac and Stevie Nicks. In her teenage years she was a cheerleader, and she loved having friends over to watch her brother, Ray, and cousin, Bobby’s band, The Ashes of Loda, practice in the family basement.
She also loved to travel – mostly domestic, having visited most states in the U.S., including Alaska. She would often say what a beautiful country we live in, and she especially enjoyed vacationing in places significant to American history. She loved Niagara Falls, and Disney trips with her kids and grandkids, but the National Parks were her most favorite destinations. She once said while driving along Going-to-the-Sun road in Glacier National Park, "this is how I picture Heaven". Her eyes lit up while retelling stories of the many motorcycle adventures she and John, her husband of nearly 32 years, had while riding a Harley through Yellowstone, Zion, Grand Canyon, and the Pacific Coast Highway through Oregon.
She and John wed on August 14, 1993, and together they raised a blended family consisting of her children, Christine, Michael, and Nicole, and John’s boys, John and Rob. As their children grew, married, and had their own children, they became grandparents to Olivia, Jason, Jack, Luke, Teagan, Kennedy and Addy. They were the best of friends – the yin to each other’s yang – sharing a love and devotion to one another that was palpable.
As their travel days slowed and she retired, John decided she needed some company, so they adopted a beautiful English Cream Retriever puppy named Nala, who kept her busy during the day while John was at work. Fondly referred to as “the treat lady”, dogs always loved her, and she'd spoil them often. Fortunately, John retired in 2023, and they were able to spend their days together, taking shorter adventures - usually somewhere near the ocean.
An avid reader of mostly crime and suspense novels, you would usually find her curled up on the couch with a warm blanket and a new book that she would read, start to finish, within a day or two. She would often trade books with her two daughters, and discuss what new movie or binge worthy series was worth the watch (or not).
She was a creature of habit, a private person except with those who knew her best, and she wasn’t a big fan of change. She liked what she liked, and she usually didn't deviate much whether it was her daily trip to Dunkin's each morning for iced coffee, or getting her nails done at the same place by the same person (always getting the same color), or Friday evenings spent at Kitty’s Restaurant where she and John would usually split a Fisherman’s Platter. She was a fan of the little things - anything chocolate, all things Christmas, phone calls for no reason, picking out her petunias that hang from the front porch, how the house smelled on a Sunday with a pot roast cooking, a good Crème Brûlée for dessert at a nice restaurant, red raspberries, scratch tickets, and white zinfandel.
There wasn’t a holiday or personal milestone where she didn’t send a card to her kids and grandkids. When she was given a card from any of her loved ones, the running joke was how long it would take before she'd start crying. She enjoyed sarcasm and inside jokes, had a quick wit and a dry sense of humor that would catch you off guard at times and make you laugh out loud. She wasn't afraid to tell you how she really felt, or rattle a cage or two when having to advocate for one of her kids. She was also sentimental and kept everything that had any meaning to her.
Her cheerleading days carried over into motherhood with her unwavering support of her kids’ many sports in their youth, and in later years for her grandchildren, where she would often be seen and heard on the sidelines cheering on her granddaughter, Olivia, at soccer games, or at basketball and lacrosse games for her grandson, Jason. Usually, she would be wrapped in a heated blanket or wearing her Canada Goose well into the spring - something her family would often lovingly poke fun at her about because she had no tolerance for being the slightest bit cold.
She was the matriarch of her family and was the glue that bound them. Lovingly referred to as “Nina” by her grandchildren, her unconditional love and support for those at the center of her world is a testament to who she was and the legacy she leaves behind. She will be loved for eternity and missed beyond measure.
Her family takes some solace and comfort knowing that she has rejoined her son, Michael, who tragically predeceased her in 1994 at the age of 17, in the afterlife. A faithful belief that he waited patiently for her in Heaven, greeting her with his million-dollar smile and a giant bear hug. In short order, this was undoubtedly followed by a bittersweet reunion of souls with her late mother (Gabrielle), father (Herve), and her younger brother (Gerard).
Lucille is survived by her husband, John J. McNally, III, her daughters, Christine L. Parrington and Nicole L. Roper, her son-in-law, James W. Roper, her granddaughter, Olivia M. Parrington, her grandson, Jason M. Roper, her brother, Raymond Marquis, sister-in-law, Cynthia Marquis, stepsons John (Sarah) McNally, IV, Robert (Alex) McNally, their children, many nieces and nephews, close cousins, extended family members, friends and former colleagues.
At Lucille’s request, services will be private for immediate family.
However, a Mass will be celebrated in her memory at St. William’s Church, located at 1351 Main Street. Route 38, in Tewksbury, MA, on Saturday, June 14th, at 11:30 AM. All who wish to attend and pay their respects are welcome.
In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made in her memory to Project Kompass, 83 Middlesex Street, North Chelmsford, MA 01863 or online at www. projectkompass.org
Project Kompass is a local non-profit near and dear to Lucille that provides housing, life skills, parenting support and training to young women, pregnant women, and new moms with babies age 18-24 experiencing homelessness.