Mary Claire Hirons Neagle

1925 - 2024

Mary Claire Hirons Neagle
02/15/1925 - 12/19/2024
Mary Claire Hirons Neagle
February 15, 1925 - December 19, 2024
Mary Neagle passed away peacefully on December 19 at the age of 99 at her home in Camarillo surrounded by loved ones. Mary was born in Omaha, NE to Joseph and Claire Hirons, where she and her older sister Patricia were raised by their mother. Mary and Pat attended Creighton University, and it was there that Mary met her future husband, Paul Neagle. They were married upon Paul's graduation from Creighton Medical School in June 1948 and Mary put her education on hold to start a family. When Paul enlisted in the Army during the Korean War, Mary relocated to Burlingame, where her mother and Pat had settled.
Upon Paul's return, they bought a home in the newly built Westlake neighborhood of Daly City, where they met many life-long friends through their new parish, Our Lady of Mercy. Mary was a social person with a wonderful 'can-do' personality and was active in the Westlake Catholic Women's Club, the Mary's Help Hospital Guild (now Seton Health Center) and a member of Phi Tau Omega, a philanthropic sorority that helped those in need, but also enjoyed the occasional festive gatherings of the sisterhood! Mary and Paul were also long-time 49er season ticket holders, going all the way back to the days when Y.A. Tittle led the team in games played at Kezar Stadium.
On top of all this Mary was a loving, caring and organized mother to seven children, pre-deceased by the eldest, Tom (Sheri) and survived by Tim (Rhonda), David (Rosanna), Ann Ragen (Mike), Mark, Claire Carlton (Mark) and Matthew (Kim). Throughout her life, Mary loved to travel and during Spring Breaks would load the kids into the station wagon for trips to Carmel, Fort Bragg (Skunk Train!) and Columbia, Ca where her Dodge station wagon experienced mechanical difficulties, leading Mary to a lifelong loyalty to Buicks.
The family later moved to Hillsborough and later Los Altos Hills. With all of her children now in school, Mary returned to complete her Bachelor's Degree in Literature at Notre Dame de Namur College in Belmont.
When Paul took a job at Community Memorial Hospital in Ventura in 1980, they settled there, retiring in nearby Camarillo, where Paul passed away in 2011.
Never one to stay at home, Mary celebrated her 90th birthday with a family trip to Paris, a memorable and enjoyable event for all.
Mary was a role model for all her children. She worked every day to instill her Catholic faith and values in them. She was devout, stylish, gracious, courageous and optimistic in the face of any challenge. Whether you were family or friend, she saw the best in you and encouraged you to be even better than you thought you could be.
Mary's family was at the center of her long life and she received frequent visits from her children, as well as her nine grandchildren (Gwynneth, Tom, Brian, Erin, Mia, Olivia, Sean, Katie and Jackie), and five great grandsons (Henry, Andrew, Harrison, Grant and Luca). She was well cared for in her later years by Ann, Claire and son-in-law Mike Ragen, as well as the Visiting Angels.
A vigil and Mass will be held at St. Mary Magdalen Catholic church in Camarillo on February 15 with a burial at Holy Cross Cemetery in Colma, on February 22 with a Celebration of Life to follow. If you wish to attend the Celebration of Life in San Francisco, please RSVP to dneagle1717@gmail.com.