Mary Ellen Cronin, 77, of New Bedford, died Friday April 23, 2010 at the Catholic Memorial Home in Fall River after a brief illness. She was the daughter of the late John and Mary (Moriarty) Cronin.
Born and raised in Fall River, she was a member of the first graduating class at the former Mount St. Mary's Academy in 1950. After graduating from Framingham State College in 1954, Mary Ellen taught at New Bedford Vocational High School and shortly became the Director of the Girls Division. Upon the opening of the new Greater New Bedford Regional Vocational Technical High School, she assumed the position of Assistant Director there, a role she held until her retirement in 1990, completing 36 years of dedicated service.
Mary Ellen also received her Master's Degree in Educational Administration from Bridgewater State College and taught a summer course on vocational administration at Fitchburg State College for a number of years.
During the 1960's, besides being a Catholic Charities Appeal collector in Fall River, she also was actively engaged in developing and implementing a series of activities for both the Fall River Area and Diocesan Catholic Youth Organization programs. Mary Ellen was in the first group of recipients of the Marian Medal. In her retirement, she volunteered in services to the immigrants, took part in programs at UMass-Dartmouth and explored her Irish roots.
She leaves a brother, Rev. John P. Cronin, and a number of cousins and friends.
Her Funeral Mass will be celebrated on Monday at 10 AM in St. Julie Billiart Church, 494 Slocum Road, Dartmouth. Burial will follow in St. Mary's Cemetery, New Bedford. Visiting hours will be Sunday 4-8 PM in the Saunders-Dwyer Home for Funerals, 495 Park St., New Bedford. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Catholic Memorial Home, 2446 Highland Ave., Fall River, MA 02720; or a pint of blood to the St. Luke's Hospital Blood Bank, 101 Page St., New Bedford. For directions and guestbook, please visit www.saundersdwyer.com.