Betty Anne Cashin McKenna, 98, longtime resident of Wellesley and Yarmouth Port, passed away peacefully on January 12, 2026 in the company of loving family members after enjoying to the fullest almost a century of a wonderful life as daughter, wife, mother of six, their children and grandchildren
Born in 1927, Betty was the cherished daughter of Bill, and Alice Cashin. She grew up in Milton MA and spent summers in Scituate. She graduated from Thayer Academy in 1944 and, like many of her generation went on to graduate from an all-women’s college, Trinity in Washington DC.
There she met the love of her life, Billy McKenna, a family friend from Boston who was a student at Georgetown. They were married in 1950 when he was finishing dental school.
A stop in New York followed while her husband earned his orthodontic degree at Columbia before moving back to Massachusetts for the rest of her life.
Growing up as an only child Betty always wanted a large family herself and achieved her wish. She was the loving mother of four sons and two daughters and over the years became expert at serving large meals to all her kids and often their friends. Many remember meeting her for the first time in the kitchen of her Wellesley home to be greeted by a warm smile and “Hello darlin! Will you be staying for supper?”
As the family grew Betty also managed her husband’s growing dental practice and greeted generations of patients. She also accompanied her husband as a trusted and valued partner on travels around the nation and Europe while he served as a trustee of the American Dental Association and other professional organizations.
A devout Catholic who attended Mass and said a rosary daily, Betty was a living example of kindness and grace.
She and her husband were active members of the Woodland Golf Club and later Kings Way Golf Club when they retired to Yarmouth Port, where they also attended many theatre and art events.
Betty was pre-deceased by her husband William, and her son Brian.
She leaves her sons Michael and wife Lynn, Kevin and wife Diane, Shaun and wife Brenda, daughters Maura Masters and husband John, Brenda Denby and husband Derick, daughter in law Elizabeth Lombardo, eleven grandchildren, their partners, and eight great-grandchildren who were all so lucky to have known their Nana’s love.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at St. Paul’s Church in Wellesley on Thursday January 15 at 11 AM. To the live stream of the Funeral Mass sjspwellesley.org/sp/live/
Donations in Betty’s memory can be made to Catholic TV in Watertown, MA who brought comfort and peace to her final years.