Mary Jacqueline Furlong

Mary Jacqueline Furlong (formerly Moy), age 90, a resident of Walnut Creek for 48 years, passed away peacefully at Bruns House, Hospice of the East Bay in Alamo, California, on September 6, 2025. Born on July 1, 1935, in Hayward, California, Mary led a life defined by her dedication to education, family, and joyful pursuits. She started life as Jacqueline, but later became "Mary" Jacqueline in Catholic grammar school. To her immediate family and relatives, she was known as "Chickie" or "Chick," a nickname given to her by her older brother, Ken, when she was a child.

She graduated from St. Elizabeth's High School in Oakland in 1954, then earned her degree from Holy Names College in 1958. Mary went on to obtain her California State teaching credential and began a long and impactful career. For over two decades, she taught both elementary and high school students, specializing in curriculum for students with learning disabilities, with compassion and skill.

Mary taught special education in the Mt. Diablo Unified School District for 20 years. She worked at Clayton Valley High School, Mt. Diablo High School, and Sequoia Middle School. After retiring, Mary volunteered in her daughter's classroom for another 18 years, helping struggling readers and kids who were new to English. She loved to help kids "unlock" reading.

When the going got tough, Mary pulled through. After only 13 years of being happily married, her husband, Bill Furlong, died suddenly on the tennis court at age 39 while the family was living in Maryland. Despite the crushing loss, Mary kept going. In 1977, she moved the family (three children under the age of 14) back to California to be closer to relatives. When there wasn't a house to buy, she rented. When there weren't any regular education teaching jobs available, Mary went back to school and pursued a special education credential. She stayed strong and kept her kids close.

After becoming a single parent at age 40, Mary devoted herself to raising her three children: Laura (husband Michael, daughter Charlotte, son-in-law Tim, & son Nathan), Jennifer (husband Michael, & daughter Callie), and Bill (wife Jessica). Mary relocated her family to Walnut Creek, CA, where she prioritized her kids' education and well-being with unwavering love and determination. She remained there for nearly 50 years. Early on, her mother, Virginia Moy, would call every evening at 8:00 to check on her from her house on Prospect St in Hayward, CA.

Beyond her professional and family life, Mary embraced every opportunity to live fully. Once her children were grown, she discovered ballroom dancing, Argentine Tango, Salsa, West Coast Swing, cycling on Mt. Diablo, playing tennis, practicing yoga, running on local tracks, walking in her neighborhood, studying Italian, reading, and playing Bridge with friends.

Mary loved a scoop of ice cream after dinner every night. Her favorites were chocolate, vanilla, and strawberry. She loved following the San Francisco Giants, particularly during the era when they won 3 World Series titles in 5 years. And she was a huge Golden State Warriors fan, thoroughly enjoying their 4 championship seasons - not merely for their star players, but more for the pure, undeniable joy the entire team brought to fans throughout the Bay Area.

At 55, she rode around Lake Tahoe (73 miles! At elevation!) Following her recovery from a successful cancer surgery and radiation treatment in her late fifties, she set a goal of cycling to the summit of Mt Diablo on her 60th birthday. She printed her personal motto of "Celebrate Life!" on the handmade invitations for her post-race party, and more than seventy family members, coworkers, and lifelong friends drove halfway up the mountain to attend. Five years later, on her 65th birthday, she did it again.

Mary liked to travel. One summer in the 1990s, she took a bike trip in Italy with Backroads Active Travel, based in Berkeley. Another year, she took a Backroads bike tour in the Canadian Rockies. She traveled solo to France one September and visited a friend in Castegneto, Italy, near the coast and not far from Florence. In 2003 and again in 2005, Mary traveled throughout Ireland, visiting the counties and farmhouses of her Irish ancestors, the birthplaces of the Moys, Youngs, Kennedys, and Furlongs. She made friends everywhere she went.

She had a successful hip replacement in her late 70s, and it barely slowed her down. She only started using a walker roughly midway through her 80s, towards the end of her two decades living in Bancroft Village. During her later years in memory care at Atria Senior Living, Mary continued to radiate joy—often saying "I'm happy! Are you happy?" Other times, when people would greet her saying "how are you doing?" she'd respond with a smile and a raised fist, saying "I'm tough!" which was infectious and would make them smile, too. She was the lone resident of memory care who went for walks outside, nearly every day, and many neighbors and staff in assisted living were familiar with her cheerful disposition. Her resilience and warmth touched everyone who knew her. Mary's family can never adequately express how much they appreciate the kindness and love her caregivers at Atria Walnut Creek showed her in her nearly four years there.

Mary Jacqueline Furlong will be remembered for her strength of spirit, devotion to learning, and zest for life. Her kids are truly - and eternally - grateful for her sacrifices, resolve, and fierce determination to put them on the path to happy and successful lives of their own. In every way, she was the best mom ever. May her memory bring comfort to those who knew and loved her. She is missed, but definitely not forgotten.

A public memorial service is not scheduled. Mary's remains will be buried at her husband's gravesite in Alamo Cemetery, and a portion of her ashes will be set aside to be scattered at a location high up on Mt. Diablo overlooking Walnut Creek.