Revered Teacher, Devoted Mother
July 22, 2009 Dorothea (Carr) McGovern, a longtime resident of Taunton, passed away peacefully at home surrounded by her loving family after a long illness. She was born to John J. and Katherine (Reilly) Carr on September 10, 1912. She graduated from Saint Mary’s High School, and received her B.A. in Biology (Phi Beta Kappa) from Brown University in 1934. One year later, she received her Master’s Degree from Teachers College at Columbia University where she served as an assistant to noted Professor Herbert Zim.
During the Depression, when jobs were hard to find (you could not take the test in Boston for a teaching job), she went to Washington, D.C. There, she secured an appointment at Woodrow Wilson High School – widely regarded at the time as the best high school in the Capitol District. She taught Biology there for nine years.
During World War II, she became engaged to James E. McGovern who was serving as a Captain in the United States Army. When the War ended, they were married at Saint Mary’s Church in Taunton on September 17, 1945. They then lived for a short period at Fort Bragg, North Carolina. Upon his discharge, in March of 1946, they returned to Taunton.
From 1960 through 1979, she taught at Bishop Cassidy (later Coyle and Cassidy) High School. After her retirement, she remained active in the Holy Union Associates and, with her husband Jim, enjoyed many years of travel, family and friends.
She was pre-deceased by her husband, James; her sisters, Virginia (Carr) Becker (of Mamaroneck, NY), Rita (Carr) McClellan (of Taunton); and her nephew, Peter McClellan (of Taunton). She is survived by five children: David and his wife Pamela of Playa del Rey, CA; Jane and her husband John Barch of Nyack, NY; Ann and her husband John Callahan of Taunton, MA; Bill (and Mary Matson) of Maine; and Mary of Nyack, NY.
She leaves eight devoted grandchildren: (Chris) and Kate Heaton of Roslindale, MA; Michael and (Jill) Barch of Huntington, NY; Corporal William McGovern, USMC, currently serving in Iraq; James Barch of Brooklyn, NY; Meghan McGovern of Quincy, MA; Maura Callahan of Taunton, MA; Nicholas Barch of Burlington, VT; and Brendan Callahan of Taunton, MA. She enjoyed her beautiful great-grandchildren: Zachary and Kiley.
Funeral from the O’Keefe-Wade Funeral Home, 70 Washington St. in Taunton, MA. on Saturday, July 25th at 10am. Followed by Mass of Christian Burial in St. Mary’s Church at 11am. Relatives and friends are invited to visiting hours on Friday from 4-8pm. Interment in St. Joseph’s Cemetery in Taunton.
Remembrances in her name may be made to: Coyle and Cassidy High School, Corner of Adams St. Taunton, MA. 02780 or the Parkinsons Disease Assoc., 72 East Concord St. C-3, Boston, MA. 02118 or Bristol Elders Services,Meals on Wheels. 1 Father DeValles Blvd., Unit 8, Fall River, MA. 02723