Mary Ann Sheila Vacherweill

Mary Ann Vacherweill, 60 of Waltham, MA, passed away on Tuesday June 10, 2025, from complications of cancer.

Born in Brockton, MA September 6, 1964, she was the daughter of Aime and Kathleen (née Mahoney) Vacher. She went to school in Bridgewater, earned a bachelor's degree from New England Conservatory and a master's from Eastman School of Music, and completed two years of doctoral work at Indiana University, all in clarinet performance.

She met her partner, Mary C. Vacherweill (née Heichelbech) at the Aspen Summer Music Festival in 1986, playing and teaching music for many years in the Boston area. Together they homeschooled their three children and were active in both the homeschool community and at First Parish Unitarian Universalist church in Waltham. Along with their children, they earned black belts in karate and formed the Watch City String Quartet which specialized in playing at memory care centers.

In 2013 Mary Ann joined the Bay State Breakers women's soccer club, playing competitively, participating in multiple tournaments around the country and in South Africa, and serving on its board. In this community she was a vital force and was known on and off the field as The Bad Ass. She encouraged and welcomed many women to join, exercise, and experience "the beautiful game."

Most recently she worked as an emergency medical technician for Armstrong Ambulance. In the first responder community, she was known as both a kind and irreverently hilarious compatriot.

She volunteered at Healthy Waltham Food Pantry and Habitat for Humanity and was a frequent blood donor.

She is preceded in death by her mother, Kathleen Vacher.

Mary Ann is survived by her wife Mary C. Vacherweill; sons Matthew James (Damara) and Henry Joseph, and daughter Margaret Elizabeth; sister Susan Messenger, brothers Christopher Vacher (Victoria) and Mick McDow; father Aime Vacher (Peggy Chicoine), and biological father Vincent "Buddy" McDow. She is mourned by many cousins and her devoted sisters and brothers in law.

The family of Mary Ann wishes to extend our sincere gratitude to accentCare Hospice House in Milton, MA.

In lieu of cards and flowers, memorial donations can be made to https://secure.givelively.org/donate/hera-women-s-cancer-foundation/mary-ann-vacherweill.