Obituary of Mary McBay

Mary Veronica (Lee) McBay, a resident of Burlington for 46 years, passed away at the Golden Living Center in Lexington after a long battle with Alzheimer’s Disease. The wife of the late Paul C. McBay, she was 82 years old. Mary was born in Arlington. She was the daughter of Irish immigrants, the late Patrick J. and Delia A. Lee. She was raised and educated in Arlington and was a graduate of Arlington High School. Mary had a successful career at the John Hancock Insurance Company where she was employed for over 42 years as a Systems Analyst. She retired at the age of 57. Mary was proud of her Irish heritage. She enjoyed traveling to Ireland and visiting with her cousins whom she had a wonderful relationship with. She enjoyed attending Irish cultural events. Before her health began to decline she was active in the Burlington Council on Aging where she held the position of Treasurer. Mary was blessed to have a life that spanned 82 years filled with many special times spent with her husband, her brothers and sisters, and her many nieces and nephews. Mary is the beloved wife of the late Paul C. McBay. Mary is the loving sister of John F. Lee of Stoneham, Barbara A. Lee of Norwood, Donald E. Lee of Arlington, and the late William J., Joseph P., Vincent P., Sr. & Robert E. Lee. Mary is also survived by 31 nieces and nephews. Funeral from the Edward V. Sullivan Funeral Home, 43 Winn St., BURLINGTON (Exit 34 off Rt. 128, Woburn side) on Wednesday, Nov. 28 at 9 a.m. Followed by Mass of Christian Burial in St. Margaret’ Church, 111 Winn St., Burlington at 10 a.m. Visiting hours Tuesday 3-7 p.m. Interment in Chestnut Hill Cemetery, Burlington. Memorials in Mary’s name may be made to the Burlington Council on Aging, 61 Center St., Burlington, MA 01803. Susan Colgan's Eulogy With the passing of my Aunt Mary, I feel that it is truly the end of an era. Tom Brokaw wrote a book a few years ago entitled The Greatest Generation; which I feel accurately, describes Mary. She was the eldest daughter in a large Irish Catholic family. She adored her mother, sister and six brothers and mourned the passing of her father when she was a young child. The family shared an unshakeable bond. We often heard stories about WWII in which three of her brothers served, and the war efforts and letter writing campaigns that Mary organized. She was the family glue, the matriarch, the one everyone turned to in a crisis. She was a pioneer in the business world, becoming one of the first women of her era to achieve director status at John Hancock Life Insurance Company. She was open minded, and not afraid of new things, from roller skating with us at Lincoln Park to asking our opinions about politics or Women’s Lib. She had a love of life that makes me smile. We all recall the parties, she and our Uncle Paul hosted, the card games, singing, dancing and laughing in their home. Mary was always prepared with a toast, speech, camera and a stack of scratch tickets. Last night I spoke with my cousins about what exactly it was that made Mary such and incredible person. We all spoke of the good times, but it was hard to put into words exactly what it was that made her so special. I think it was the way she celebrated every event. She made every graduation, wedding, christening or birth of a baby so very special. As children, my cousins and I were allowed to sit at the grown up table, drink from the Waterford Crystal, have a cup of coffee and maybe even a sip of wine (or beer!). We learned at her table that we were not simply tolerated, but an important and valued part of the group. She was generous to us all, and always had a closet full of toys for when we came to visit. Mary taught us the value of education, hard work, saving money and putting on our best appearance. She was proud of all our accomplishments. Upon our graduating from college, Mary insisted on a tape-recorded mock job interview to ensure we were well prepared. Mary was proud of her Irish heritage and due to her diligence, we have an in depth record of our family history. We have fond memories of the Irish cousins that came to visit. A party wasn’t complete without her husband Paul twirling her in an Irish jig or a spontaneous chorus of “When Irish Eyes Are Smiling”. I think we all feel lucky to have grown up as a part of the Lee family, a fun loving group, devoted to each other who stuck together through thick and thin and in times of sickness. I hope the next generation can benefit from some of the lessons taught to us by Aunt Mary, a member of the “Greatest Generation”. Such as: • A thirst for knowledge • A strong faith in God • A respect for tradition • A strong work ethic • A Devotion to family • A zest for life We love you Mary. May you rest in peace.