Obituary of Mary Lou McDonough

Mary Louise “Mary Lou” McDonough a resident of Burlington for 60 years passed away on Saturday night at the Lahey Hospital at the age of 86. Mary Lou was born in Boston and grew up in Dorchester. She was one of five children born to Irish immigrants, Louis and Florence Tessier. After high school, she worked for New England Telephone. She met her future husband, John McDonough, while they both were living in Dorchester. They were married in 1958 and eventually settled in Burlington in 1960. Both John and Mary Lou have been very involved at St. Malachy Church since its inception in 1963. Mary Lou helped with the fundraising, taught CCD, was a Eucharistic minister, part of the Hospital and Outreach ministry, a member of the Morgairs, and participated in all the events and socials held at the church. It was a place where she deepened and shared her faith. Her husband John was an active member of the Knights of Columbus in Burlington, so Mary Lou attended all the socials, fundraisers, and activities held at the council. She also helped at Wildwood School for over 15 years as a teacher’s assistant during lunch and recess. Mary Lou’s zest for life, out going personality, and compassion made her much-loved amongst her family, church, neighbors, and friends. She was simply a delight to spend time with. Her neighbors and friends celebrated holidays together, went away for weekends, supported each other in their daily life’s, and shared so many fun and memorable times together. She was deeply involved in in her 3 sons’ life’s. She lovingly raised them, tended to their many cuts and bruises, encouraged them in their sports, interests, careers, and life choices. She loved baseball history and particularly the Red Sox. It was a passion she received from her father and was very happy to pass it on to her sons. She loved traveling. In the early years, there were family bus trips to Florida and Washington DC. When the boys grew up, John and Mary Lou’s vacations became international. Over the years, they visited 21 countries and experienced different cultures and countless tourist “Must See” destinations. There were also the yearly vacations to Sippewissett Campground and Cabins in Falmouth. Countless summer days spent on Chapoquoit Beach. It was the gathering place for the Tessier side of the family for decades. The cousins created a bond that could never be broken from those many years of family fun. Her husband John was the successful businessman, but she was the woman behind the man who kept everything working, the home in order, and the family bond strong. She was truly a special and much-loved mother, mother-in-law, grandmother, sister, aunt, and friend. Mary Lou was the beloved wife of 60 years of the late John Albert McDonough. She was the loving mother of John A. McDonough, Jr. & his wife Robin of Natick, Timothy McDonough & his wife Rachel of Billerica, and Andrew McDonough of N. Billerica. She was the sister of the late Louis Tessier, Jr. Dorothy Engemann, Eileen Scacca, and Joseph Tessier. She was the proud grandmother of Emily, Joanna, Shea, Connor John, and Meagan McDonough, and Daniel & Mairav Shamir and great grandmother of Nava Lee Shamir. Visiting hours will be held at the Edward V. Sullivan Funeral Home, 43 Winn St., Burlington (exit 34 off Rt. 128/95, Woburn side) on Wednesday, Jan. 8 from 4-8 p.m. Funeral from the Sullivan Funeral Home on Thursday, Jan. 9 at 9 a.m. Followed by a Mass of Christian Burial in St. Malachy Church, 99 Bedford St., Burlington at 10 a.m. Services will conclude with a burial at Pine Haven Cemetery, Burlington. Memorials in Mary Lou’s name may be made to the RCS Learning, 6 Strathmore Rd, Natick, MA 01760 or www.rcslearning.org. For directions obituary & online guestbook see www.saint-malachy.org or www.sullivanfuneralhome.net