Mary Linda "Linky" McIsaac

Mary Linda "Linky" McIsaac
Mary "Linky" McIsaac, 75 of Reeders, Pennsylvania, passed away October 4th, 2023
surrounded by family and after a battle with Acute Myeloid Leukemia.
She is survived by her loving husband of fifty-five years, Jim, their children - Brendan and his
wife Mary, Corey and his wife Christine, and Wendy and her husband Paul along with their
grandchildren Connor, Megan, Kaylee, Cillian, Cameron, and Liam.
Mary was the youngest child born to Hans and Helen Andresen of Bard Avenue in Staten
Island, New York on March 27th, 1948. She grew up along with siblings Andrea, Jon "Jonsie",
and Francis "Lulu" and it was her brother Jon's difficulty with pronouncing her middle name
Linda that resulted in her being called "Linky" for the rest of her life by family and friends.
She graduated from Curtis High School and started her career as a working girl in Manhattan for
American Express. In 1965, out one night at a bar with friends, she was introduced to James
McIsaac who had just finished his naval service. After talking and dating, they got married on
August 18th, 1968 in Staten Island - a New Brighton girl married a West Brighton boy.
They began their family on Staten Island, briefly owning a bar on Forest Avenue themselves,
before moving to Chatham New Jersey in 1977. There Mary and Jim were superintendents as
Jim started his roofing business and Mary raised the kids before returning to work in the finance
department at Ciba Geigy and then worked her way up the corporate ladder without a college
degree to become a senior capital analyst for Novartis in East Hanover, NJ.
It was during this time that she and Jim discovered their love of golf with Mary first joining a
women's league and taking Jim with her to learn the game. This became a passion for them
both that continued long into their retirement to the Poconos and was always followed by going
out with friends for food and drinks.
Over the years, Mary and Jim opened their home to family and friends alike, hosting barbecues
and Thanksgiving feasts, welcoming their kids' gaggle of friends and rock bands as their house
became the house where the kids and their friends were always welcome whether they were
looking to hang out or needed a place to stay.
In retirement, Mary and Jim bought a house in Reeders, Pennsylvania where they once again
began hosting barbecues, Thanksgiving feasts, playing golf, and making new friends. Most
recently, Mary and Jim got involved in community efforts to stop warehouse development with
Mary going so far as to being interviewed on WESS radio East Stroudsburg where she DJ'd her
top ten rock songs about the environment.
Mary will be remembered as a loving wife, mother, and grandmother who always enjoyed
hosting and cooking for family and friends and someone who enjoyed good company, good
drinks, laughing, and making memories.
A viewing and celebration will be held from 1-4 PM, Monday October 9th at the Bensing-
Thomas Funeral Home in Stroudsburg PA with a repast to follow. In lieu of flowers donations
should be made to The American Cancer Society and The Hope Lodge of Philadelphia
American Cancer Society https://www.cancer.org/
Philadelphia Hope Lodge https://donate.cancer.org/
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