Anne Reardon

1929 - 2019

Anne McMaster Reardon

Worcester - Anne McMaster Reardon, 90, of Worcester and Watch Hill, R.I., formerly of West Boylston and Shrewsbury, died Wednesday, February 27 at the UMass Memorial Medical Center in Worcester, with her family at her bedside. She was the wife of the late James G. Reardon.

Anne was born on February 4,1929 in Norwich, Conn., the second child of Percy W. and Mary Driscoll McMaster. She was raised in Worcester and graduated from Ascension High School in 1946 before receiving a Bachelor's Degree from Trinity College in Washington, D.C. and a Master's Degree in English from the Catholic University of America. In 1952 she was chosen by Finnish sculptor Kalervo Kallio, after being spotted in the University library, to pose for a statue of Our Lady of Fatima, created for the Oblate Seminary shrine in Bar Harbor, Maine. Upon completion of her studies, she taught English at Emmanuel College and later at Anna Maria College.

In 1955, she married a young Worcester lawyer, Jim Reardon, whom she met when both held summer jobs at the Worcester Telegram & Gazette. Together they raised eight children. They also had ten grandchildren who adored "Mimi," as they called her.

Anne was a lover of music and a talented piano and organ player. While only in her teens, she played the organ at St. John's Church in Worcester, walking to and from the church from the McMaster home on Vernon Hill. Her passion for music stayed with her throughout her life, and her children and grandchildren have countless happy memories of singing and dancing while she played the piano.

An avid reader who loved to learn, Anne inspired her children to do the same. She was a gifted writer who could discuss with equal knowledge and enjoyment Latin and Greek mythology, Shakespeare, the Gaza Strip, current politics, history and the latest British murder mystery. Along with musicals and historical films, she delighted in any movie in which the bad guy gets it in the end.

She also greatly enjoyed entertaining. She and Jim hosted lots of memorable events and parties, and relished those fun times with their dear friends at "The Bungalow" in Watch Hill, and in the Worcester area.

Throughout her life, Anne was committed to making a difference in her community. She was a president of the Music Association of Worcester and in that role helped to oversee the renovation of Mechanics Hall. She volunteered with several other arts-related organizations in Worcester over the years. In the early 70s she and Jim founded and ran for a time a local newspaper, The Advocate, with the goal of providing "another democratic voice" to the community. She remained dedicated to teaching, volunteering as an instructor of Advanced English at Notre Dame Academy when her children were teenagers and teaching religious education at Our Lady of Good Counsel Church in West Boylston. She also provided a sounding board and constant support to Jim throughout his 13-year tenure as moderator of the Watch Hill Fire District.

She leaves behind her children, Maura Goodywn (Will) of Birmingham, Ala., Meg Suuberg (Martin) of Shrewsbury, the Honorable James G. Reardon, Jr. (Maria) of Shrewsbury, Christopher, Mark, Julie, and Rosie Reardon (all of Worcester) and Katherine Friedman (Michael) of Oak Bluffs. She also leaves her grandchildren: Anne Goodwyn Krieder (Miller), Lilla Goodwyn Norris (William), Tyler Goodwyn, Katherine, Emily, Laura, and Hannah Suuberg, Jake and Julia Reardon, and Zachary Friedman. She is survived by her siblings, Paul McMaster, Margaret Farrey, and Timothy McMaster. In addition to her husband, she was preceded in death by her grandson, Luke Friedman, and her sisters, Mary Noreen McMaster and Fayne Kowalski.

She was a devout Catholic and relied on her faith to celebrate joyful occasions and to sustain her in difficult times. In her later years she was a member of Christ the King Parish in Worcester.

Anne will be remembered for her grace, intelligence, thoughtfulness, kindness, style and humor. We will miss her terribly.

The Reardon family is especially grateful to Dr. George Eypper, Anne's caring and dedicated physician of many years; and to all the home health aides who attended to Anne over these past several years, particularly Lucy Mwangi and Nana Core.

Calling hours are Friday, March 1, from 4 to 7 p.m. at Athy Memorial Home, 111 Lancaster Street, Worcester. Funeral on Saturday, March 2, with an 11 a.m. Mass at Christ the King Church, 1052 Pleasant Street, Worcester. Burial at River Bend Cemetery in Westerly, R.I. will be private.

In lieu of flowers, the family suggests that donations be made to: Boston Children's Hospital Heart Center, 300 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA 02115; Pappas Rehabilitation Hospital for Children, 3 Randolph Street, Canton, MA 02021; or the Watch Hill Memorial Library and Improvement Society, 2 Everett Avenue, Watch Hill, RI 02891.