Obituary of Lil Oley

LINK to livestream of funeral mass

Click on the LINK (above) to connect to our facebook page (sign-in is NOT required). A livestream of the funeral mass will begin a few minutes before 10am on Monday, December 19th.

Lillian Theresa (Cunha) Oley, a beacon of sunshine, passed away after a very brief illness on Wednesday, December 15, 2022.  She was 92 years old.  Lil was born in Cambridge, the daughter of Portuguese immigrants, Manuel and Angelina Cunha.  She grew up in Somerville and was a graduate of Somerville High School.  She worked a wide variety of jobs over the years from a clerk at Fanny Farmers, bookkeeper at a dry cleaner, a waitress at Valley’s Restaurant, and a clerk at TJ Max, but her most important job was that of wife, mother, grandmother, and great grandmother. 

Lil moved to Burlington in 1964 and quickly found a second home at Saint Margaret’s Church.  She served as a Eucharistic minister during masses and would also visit parishioners confined to home.  She was to keep a tight schedule but found that hard to do as she might be their only visitor of the day.  So Lil would sit, chat, and brighten their day.  She and her husband, Ed, were members of the church’s Pre CANA or marriage preparation course.  They were a great team helping couples to prepare for marriage as they talked about the sacrament, spirituality, money matters, and a wide host of other topics.  She would often share personal experiences with the couples.  There are a great number of couples married at St. Margaret’s Church who are eternally thankful for the kindness, insight, and love Lil and Ed shared with them.  She also volunteered her time and talents at the church bazaars.  Lil made time every day to pray, say the rosary, seek guidance, and thank God for her many blessings in her life.

Lil was a longtime member of the Burlington Historical Society and the TOPS group.  She was a fabulous seamstress and master quilter and a member of the Burlington Quilting Guild.  She would go on quilting weekends with her girlfriends.  She made quilts and wall hangings for many of her family members which have now become family heirlooms.  When her children were young there were family camping trips to Vermont.  They then purchased a piece of land in Ipswich where Ed, with a lot of help from family and friends, built a cottage that overlooked Crane’s Beach. Ed and Lil traveled in their later years.  They took tours all over the United States, the National Parks, Italy, Scotland, and England. 

Lil will be most remembered for the way she lived her life.  She was outgoing, funny, positive, and always saw the good in others.  She was always there to support her family, friends, and even strangers.  Her warmth, spirit, concern for others, and faith were treasures that she showered upon everyone who entered her life.  She was a special angel who will be forever missed, but never forgotten.

Lil was the beloved wife of Edwin “Ed” Oley for 69 years.  She was the loving mother of Denise Callahan & her husband Walter of Woburn, Michael Oley & his wife Joy of New Boston, NH, David Oley & his wife Pam of Laconia NH, Cheryl Oley of Burlington MA and Carl Oley of MA.  She was predeceased by her siblings, Michael Wedge, William, Joseph, Herbert, and Francis Cunha.  She was the proud grandmother of Jessie Soderquist, Jody Scalisi, Joy Tardiff, Brian Oley, Ashley Oley, Jacob Oley, and the late Ryan Harrington.  She was the proud great grandmother or “GiGi” of Cora, Madelyn, Joseph, Sabrina, Camryn, Cody, Brooklyn, and Kaleb.  She was also survived by many nieces, nephews, and friends.

Visiting hours will be held at the Edward V. Sullivan Funeral Home, 43 Winn Street, Burlington on Sunday, December 18, 2022 from 2-5pm. Funeral from the Sullivan Funeral Home on Monday, December 19, 2022 at 9 am, followed by a Mass of Christian Burial at St. Margaret Church in St. Veronica Parish, www.stveronicama.org, 111 Winn Street, Burlington at 10am. Services will conclude with a burial in Pine Haven Cemetery, Burlington.  Memorials in Lil's name may be made to Smile Train www.donatesmiletrain.org   Please click honary gift. 

For video tribute, and online guestbook, see www.sullivanfuneralhome.net