Mary Ann O’Donnell

Mary Ann O'Donnell, a caring big sister, loving mother and wonderful cook, died in her home on March 23. She was 66.

Mary was born June 11, 1957 in Buffalo, New York to James and Virginia Conmy. She went to Mount Mercy Academy High School, and lived most of her life in Massachusetts.

Mary was known for three things: her amazing cooking, her love of shopping, and her incredible sense of humor.

Mary knew how to land a well-timed joke. And she had a dry wit that frequently drew laugh emojis on the family group chat. Even more notable than her jokes was her infectious - and very unique - chortle. If you ever lost her out in public, her son Matthew said you could just listen for her laugh and follow the sound.

Her siblings say Mary was always down for anything, and loved to talk trash while playing games. It didn't matter what the game was or whether her opponent was her 7 year old granddaughter, she always loved to rile people up. A big Buffalo Bills fan, she delighted in saying "Go Bills!" to anyone she saw wearing Patriots gear. When playing cards or board games, Mary always kept you on your toes. She'd try to cheat, and then act like she had no idea when she was caught red handed. (The cheating part is hereditary and she learned it from her mother)

Mary was also known for her gourmet cooking. She liked to spend all day in the kitchen, perfecting each and every dish. Anytime guests would come by she'd have a lavish spread (the secret to many of her decadent side dishes was a heavy dose of heavy cream.) She had a massive collection of cookbooks, and always found joy trying out new recipes.

Mary was also skilled at sewing. She honed the craft at a young age by sewing clothes for her dolls (she even made dolls herself!). And she got so good she was even able to sell some of them. She made her kids Halloween outfits, and later, sewed outfits for her grandkids.

She also loved to shop. Legend has it she had more than 300 pairs of shoes, and was known to hide new purchases in grocery bags so her husband wouldn't find out.

One thing Mary was not known for: Her dance moves. One could generously describe her sense of rhythm as "absolutely terrible." But that never stopped her from being on the dance floor.

Mary married Gary Tobolski in 1977. They had two sons, Eric and Matthew, before later divorcing. She went to school to become a paralegal, and worked for a number of law firms focused on providing top notch support for real estate transactions.

In 2011, she married George O'Donnell, whom she lived with in Dennis, Mass. She and George were best friends. He made her hot chocolate each morning, and the two had a clever banter that could have made for a great TV sitcom.

Mary spent the last two decades battling various health issues. She beat breast cancer, but her liver and kidney were damaged by the treatments. Last year, she received a double liver and kidney transplant.

She took on these health issues with her usual positivity and charm. When her brother John came to see her after the kidney and liver transplant, they found fun in studying the book of "Do's and Don'ts Following a Transplant," and Mary quipped that they might take the organs back if she didn't pass the test.

Sadly, her body struggled to meld with the transplanted organs, and her heart eventually gave out from all the hard work.

She's survived by her siblings, Kathleen, Patrick, Maureen and John, her sons, Eric and Matthew, and her three grandkids, Elizabeth, Audrey and Vivian. Her brother James, and her parents, preceded her in death.

Her celebration of life will be held on Friday, April 12 at noon, at the Borsari Gallery. 524 Main St. Dennis, Mass. Please come with your favorite stories about Mary so we can all share in a good laugh - we know that's just how she'd want it.