Mary Margaret Neagle

Mary Margaret (O'Conner) Neagle
Mary M. Neagle passed away peacefully July 25, 2023. She was born a twin, the only 2 children of Irish immigrants, Hanora O'Keeffe and Jeremiah O'Connor, who married and settled in Worcester, MA.
After high school, where she was educated and inspired by the Sisters of St. Joseph, Mary attended secretarial college and soon followed her sister, Josephine, to Washington, D.C., where they joined the U.S. Office of Scientific Research and Development, with high security clearances, filing documents for the Manhattan Project.
In 1946, Mary married the love of her life, Thomas H. Neagle, and they moved to New York City, where she worked as a secretary for the Rockettes at Radio City Music Hall. During their 48 years of marriage, Mary and Tom gave birth to eight children: Mary M. Houston of NJ, Thomas H. Jr. (Barbara) of CT, Francis Xavier (who lived a single day, but Mary never forgot to include among her children), Martin J. (Christine) of NC, Christopher (Sally) of VT, Peter D. (Karen) of AK, Mary de Paul (Timothy Creamer) of MA, and Anthony (Carol) of FL. Mary is survived by 17 grandchildren and 14 great-grandchildren.
Mary was a caregiver most of her life, caring for her mother, father, and mother-in-law before their passing; as well as her beloved Tom, who passed in 1994. She was predeceased by her sister. She provided supportive care for numerous grandchildren over the years, for whom she was known for her brownies, lasagna and unwavering support. Mary would say, "God let me live this long so I can have some me time after being a caregiver all those years."
Mary was deeply religious and active in her faith throughout her life. A member of the Catholic Worker Movement and the Fellowship of Reconciliation, Mary strongly supported civil rights and human rights, opening her home to inner city children during summers in the '60s, and participating in protests during the Vietnam war in the '70s.
After residing in Branford, CT, for 35 years, Mary moved to Beverly, MA in 2002. She volunteered at Beverly Bootstraps Thrift shop for many years. Mary remained active and independent into her 90s, when she moved to assisted living at Seasons of Danvers, where they made her feel at home. In her final months, she received excellent care from the staff at Ledgewood Skilled Nursing Center and Care Dimensions Hospice, Beverly, MA.
Family and friends will honor Mary at a Mass on August 25 (8:45 a.m.) at St. Pius X Parish, Plainview, NY, where she and Tom were founding members. Following the Mass, there will be a memorial service and burial at St. Charles Cemetery, Farmingdale, NY. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to the Sisters of St. Joseph, Mount St. Joseph Convent, 9701 Germantown Ave., Philadelphia, PA 19118-2694. Arrangements by the Campbell Funeral Home, 525 Cabot Street, Beverly. Information, directions, condolences at www.campbellfuneral.com