Mary Wilkins

1934 - 2021

Mary "Maura" Wilkins, died January 12, 2021. She was born Mary O'Grady on January 6, 1934, in Tobercurry, Co. Sligo, Ireland, to Tom and Ellen O'Grady. She was predeceased by her son Robert, brothers Brendan, Desi, Tommy and sister Nancy and her husband Henry Connell. Survived by brothers Dermot O'Grady and wife Dorothy, Joe O'Grady and his wife Teresa O'Grady-Peyton and sister Carmel and husband Paddy Doocey, all of Ireland, sister Eleanor and her husband Pat Fahy of Yarmouthport, son Brian and his wife Dawn their children, her beloved grandchildren, Desmond and Declan of North Weymouth as well as countless nieces and nephews around the world. She was known as Maura by her mother, Maudey by her father (don't ask me why, it's an Irish thing) and Maw by her close friends, Mary Kennedy, Catherine O'Neil , Kathleen Woodford and Maribeth MacDonald amongst many others. She went into nursing and started her career in England, then onto Chicago before eventually settling down in Milton. Her loving, caring nature and huge heart were clearly evident in the profession she chose, but never more so than when she adopted her two sons, Robert and Brian. She dedicated her life to loving and raising them in a way that only she could have and gave them countless summers in Ireland with all the relatives they could handle and so many great memories too innumerable to mention. When she got the chance to meet Bridie McMahan, Brian's birth mother, she welcomed her into the family like a long-lost younger sister. She always said that she had hoped Brian would find her so she would have the opportunity to thank her for the gift she had been given in raising him. This was no surprise to anyone that knew her. Her selflessness and indomitable spirit were unmatched in that she dedicated her life to taking care of others in one form or another as a nurse in a hospital or in nursing homes that she owned with her former husband. As a mother and grandmother, a title she cherished, she could not have given anymore of herself. In her last four years, she moved to North Weymouth to be closer to her family. Many a time, she had to be scolded for acting the same age as her grandchildren. Her response was shooting a mischievous look with her piercing blue eyes. She was always there to listen, not judge and had an innate ability to suggest rather than order. You always knew where you stood her, as an equal. She gave her time to helping others and shared wisdom by pulling from her own life experiences in the most amazing way. She could dispense advice that a twenty-year-old could relate to and in turn do the same thing to someone close to fifty. She was always laughing and had an infectious personality which drew people to her and she loved to throw out an occasional curse wood to get a laugh. She loved to play tennis and bowled with her longtime neighbor and friend Gloria and even took up yoga in her seventies. In the early hours of January 12, 2021, just a few days after her 87th birthday, she faced her death and mortality as she had lived her life, with no filter and no fear. She had given strict marching orders twenty-five years prior on how she wanted to go. She went peacefully with no pain and her dignity intact at home while listening to Irish music and Johnny Cash with her son, Brian, his wife Dawn, her niece Maureen McCole and her caretaker/godsend Kinsey Greaney beside her. Her mind and spirit were too powerful for a mere mortals body to contain. She gave them her all and her loss leaves a huge hole in all the lives she came in contact with. There are no immediate plans for services due to Covid restrictions. A Mass at St. Gregory's in Dorchester will be held at a later date. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in her name to Catholic Charities of Boston, Children's Hospital, 300 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA 02115 or St. Jude's. 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105.