Obituary of Mary McMakin

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Tuesday, Dec. 28 at 10:30 a.m. Interment immediately following in Chestnut Hill Cemetery. Mary Virginia McMakin, a woman of deep faith and devotion to her family passed away after a brief illness on Tuesday evening December 21 at the Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston. She was 73 years old. Mary was born in Charlestown, the daughter of the late Richard and Frances Rock. She grew up in Charlestown and was proud to call herself a Charlestown Townie. She was a graduate of Cardinal Cushing High School and then a Culinary Arts School. She married William B. McMakin in 1958 and they settled in Burlington in 1961. Mary’s life revolved around her deep Catholic Faith and her family. She was a faithful Parishioner of St. Margaret’s Church, where she had taught second grade religious education. She was a Lifesong Disciple of Jesus as a member of the Lifesong Healing Community in Sherman Mills, Maine. She was a Missionary Servant of Holy Love , affiliated with Holy Love Ministries in Elyria, Ohio. She was also a member of the Madonna of the Universe Prayer group. She lived and shared her faith every day. She was devoted to her husband, daughters, and grandchildren. She shared her love of God with them and was a guiding light for choosing to live as a disciple of Jesus Christ. Until recently she had been an “honorary” member of St. Patrick’s Church and St. Charles Church where she was a daily communicant. Mary’s interests included cake decorating, Gardening and flower arranging. She enjoyed traveling around the United States with her husband in their motor home. Often, their favorite destinations were Shrines. She loved spending time with her daughters and her grandchildren. She will be lovingly remembered. Mary was the beloved wife of William B. McMakin. She was the caring and loving mother of Mary “Ginger” Franchitto & her husband Larry of Hudson, NH, AnnMarie McMakin of Burlington, and Theresa Ann “Terry” Tremblay & her husband John of Burlington. She was predeceased by her brothers; Richard & Francis Rock. She was the devoted grandmother of Brandon, Nathan, & Victoria Franchitto and Brittany, Terese, Monique, & Jacquelyn Tremblay, and a dear friend of Mary C. Vivolo. Also survived by many nieces and nephews. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at St. Margaret’s Church, 111 Winn St., Burlington on Monday, Dec. 27 at 11 a.m. Relatives and friends are respectfully invited. In lieu of flowers, memorials in Mary’s name can be made to Lorraine Louvat , 737 Golden Ridge Road, Sherman Mills, ME 04776 or In Season and Out of Season, P.O. Box 602, East Boston, MA 02128. MARY MCMAKIN WAS A LOVING WIFE, A LOVING MOM, A LOVING NANA, A LOVING FRIEND FAITH, FAMILY, FRIENDS ARE WHAT MATTERED IN MY MOM, MARY’S LIFE AND HOW SHE LIVED HER LIFE. MY MOM MARY EMBRACED OUR CATHOLIC FAITH AND WAS PROUD OF HER FAITH. MY MOM WOULD TEACH MY SISTERS AND I HOW TO PRAY AND SHE HAD SUCH PATIENCE WITH US AS I NOW LOOK BACK. LATER AS HER GRANDCHILDREN GREW SHE WOULD TEACH THEM HOW TO PRAY AND HAD THEM FORM A PRAYER GROUP THAT WAS NAMED THE GUADALUPIANS. SHE LOVED TO TELL THE STORY OF OUR LADY OF GUADALUPE AND WORE A NECKLACE WITH OUR LADY OF GUADALUPE’S IMAGE. IF SOMEONE ASKED HER ABOUT THE NECKLACE SHE WOULD EXPLAIN THE STORY OF OUR LADY OF GUADALUPE. SHE ALSO WORE THE MIRACULOUS MEDAL AND WAS HAPPY TO TELL THAT STORY TOO. WE STILL SAY A HAILMARY PRAYER EVERYTIME WE HEAR A FIRE SIREN OR AMBULANCE SIREN AS MOM/ NANA TAUGHT US TO DO. SAINT PADRE PIO WAS A FAVORITE SAINT OF MY MOM. SHE WAS FASCINATED BY HIS LIFE AND HOW HE BORE THE FIVE WOUNDS OF JESUS. SHE HAD A RELIC OF SAINT PIO AND OFTEN PRAYED FOR HIS INTERCESSION. THE MADONNA OF THE UNIVERSE PRAYER GROUP WAS STARTED BACK IN JANUARY 2007 WHEN MY MOM ASKED HER DEAR FRIEND MARY VIVILO TO PRAY FOR HER. SINCE THEN THE PRAYER GROUP HAS PRAYED TO OUR BLESSED MOTHER UNDER THE TITLE OF OUR LADY OF LOURDES AND AS THE MADONNA OF THE UNIVERSE TO INTERCEDE TO HER SON JESUS FOR VARIOUS INTENTIONS THAT HAVE BEEN ADDED EACH DAY. MY MOM PRAYED THE ROSARY OFTEN AND SHE HAD EXPERIENCED THE SCENT OF ROSES WHILE SHE PRAYED WHICH MEANT OUR BLESSED MOTHER MARY WAS NEAR. MOM AND DAD WERE MARRIED FOR 52 YEARS THIS PAST APRIL. THEIR LOVE FOR EACH OTHER CREATED A SPECIAL BOND THAT WAS CEMENTED WITH THEIR SHARED FAITH. THEY WERE AN EXCEPTIONAL COUPLE AND WERE BOTH GREAT PARENTS AND GRANDPARENTS. JACQUELYN (YOUNGEST GRANDAUGHTER) TOLD ME HER GRANDPARENTS WERE GOOD ROLE MODELS AND I AGREE. FOR MY PARENTS 50TH ANNIVERSARY THEY WERE HONORED TO RENEW THEIR VOWS AT THE CATHEDRAL OF THE HOLY CROSS. IT WAS A SPECIAL DAY FOR MY MOM AND DAD. DAD LOVED MY MOM VERY MUCH AND SHE LOVED HIM. THEY ENJOYED VISITING SHRINES IN THEIR RV. ; HOLY LOVE MINISTRIES IN ELYRIA, OH, LA SALETTE SHRINE IN ATTELBORO, MA PADRE PIO FOUNDATION IN CT AND PA, LIFESONG HEALING COMMUNITY IN MAINE WERE AMONG THEIR FAVORITE PLACES. THEY WOULD ATTEND DAILY MASS. BOTH ENJOYED VISITS TO HOLY ROSARY PARISH IN WINTHROP (FR. TOM’S PARISH) FOR MASS OR A HEALING SERVICE. ALSO, ATTENDING HEALING SERVICES AT OUR MOTHER OF PERPETUAL HELP IN BOSTON AND WITH FATHER PAT AT LA SALETTE SHRINE IN ATTELBORO. FIRST FRIDAY AND FIRST SATURDAY OF THE MONTH THEY WOULD ATTEND MASS, ADORATION OF THE BLESSED SACRAMENT AND SAY THE ROSARY. MOM LOVED TO GARDEN. SHE GREW HERBS AND FLOWERS. SHE HAD A SPECIAL GARDEN FOR OUR BLESSED MOTHER AND SAINT PIO. SHE ENJOYED CREATING THINGS AND AT FAIRS ENJOYED THE FLOWER ARRANGING PRESENTATIONS. SHE WAS PROUD OF HER VANITY PLATE MSHL, WHICH STANDS FOR MISSIONARY SERVANT OF HOLY LOVE FAMILY WAS IMPORTANT TO MY MOM. SHE LOVED MY DAD VERY MUCH AND APPRECIATED EVERTHING. MY FAMILY HAS MEMORIES OF HOW SPECIAL SHE MADE EACH OF US FEEL. SHE WOULD GO THE EXTRA MILE TO MAKE THINGS SPECIAL. MOM WAS A TRUE MOM ALWAYS THERE FOR MY SISTERS AND I. SHE DID EVERTHING WITH GREAT LOVE. SHE ATTENDED ALL OUR SCHOOL EVENTS, DANCE RECITALS ETC. WE HAVE MEMORIES OF COOKOUTS, FAMILY VACATIONS IN MAINE AND ROCKPORT. SHE CONTINUED THIS WITH HER NIECES AND NEPHEWS AND HER DEAR GRANDCHILDREN. WE WERE ALL BLESSED AND CAN FEEL HER STILL GUIDING US. MY MOTHER MADE HOLIDAYS MORE SPECIAL. SHE ALWAYS USED THE OPPORTUNITY TO TEACH. PRIOR TO EASTER AND DURING LENT WE WOULD ATTEND MASS AND THE STATIONS OF THE CROSS AND ON EASTER CELEBRATE JESUS RESURRECTION BY ATTENDING MASS ALL DRESSED UP AND SHE ALWAYS DID OUR HAIR TOO. THANKSGIVING WAS A TIME TO COUNT OUR BLESSINGS AND SHE WOULD COOK AND BAKE A FEAST. ON CHRISTMAS MY MOM WOULD ALWAYS CELEBRATE JESUS BIRTHDAY ALONG WITH MY BIRTHDAY. WE WOULD SING HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO JESUS AND ME. SHE LOVED TO TELL EVERYONE SHE HAD A DAUGHTER BORN ON CHRISTMAS. MY MOM ALWAYS MADE ALL FAMLLY MEMBER BIRTHDAYS MORE SPECIAL. SHE PUT A LOT OF LOVE IN HER SPECIAL DECORATED CAKES. THE GRANDCHILDREN HAVE MEMORIES OF VISITING THE TOY STORE TO PICK OUT GIFTS AND THEN EATING AT THEIR FAVORITE RESTAURANT. OFTEN THIS MEANT TAKING NANA & GRANDPA’S MOTOR HOME FOR THE DAY AND BEING THE COPILOT, BY SITTING UP FRONT. ON THE WAY HOME NANA WOULD HAVE THEM PRAYING THE ROSARY AND SINGING SONGS. NANA ALWAYS MADE EVERYTHING MORE FUN. TERESE TOLD ME SHE DOES NOT HAVE ONE MEMORY OF NANA NOT SMILING. MONIQUE AND VICTORIA RECALL VISITS TO ROCKPORT DURING THE SUMMER. MONIQUE REMEMBERS NANA TELLING HER STORIES ABOUT BLUE BUTTERFLYS AND HOW THIS REPRESENTED THE BLESSED MOTHER. MONIQUE SAID MY NANA WAS VERY BEAUTIFUL ON THE INSIDE AND OUT. SHE WAS ALWAYS HAPPY AND SMILING. MY MOM EASILY MADE FRIENDS. SHE HAD A KINDNESS AND GENUINE CONCERN FOR PEOPLE. SHE LOVED EACH OF HER FRIENDS AND YOU WERE A SPECIAL PART OF HER LIFE. SHE INSPIRED PEOPLE WITH HER FAITH AND THE WAY SHE LIVED HER LIFE. FAITH, FAMILY, FRIENDS THESE ARE WHAT HER PRIORITIES WERE AND HOW SHE LIVED. WE CAN TAKE THIS LEGACY AND ADD TO OUR LIVES EACH DAY. GOD BLESS YOU MARY, MOM, NANA WE LOVE YOU AND YOU ARE SAFELY HOME IN HEAVEN!