Former diocesan teacher and mother of eight, Mary Donohue Shaughnessy, a TEACHER OF THE YEAR, an honor bestowed on her by then bishop of Buffalo Edward Head ,began teaching foreign languages, Spanish, Latin and French in 1966 for nearly 25 years. First at Cardinal O'Hara High School in Tonawanda, then at Bishop McMahon High School in Buffalo and finally at DeSales High School in Lockport.
A founding member of St. Gregory the Great parish, Williamsville in 1958 when the new parish first celebrated mass on the back of a flatbed truck in the present day parking lot. She sang in the choir served on the Altar Guild and taught religious instruction, Sunday school to children and confraternity classes to high schoolers for many years beginning in the early 1960's until falling and breaking a hip while teaching in her classroom at St. Gregory's retiring in 2006. She remained a deeply devoted Catholic and attended daily mass until unable to do so when dementia struck.
A talented lifelong piano player at home who was enthusiastically encouraged by her children especially at Christmas time. Born Mary Agnes Donohue in Clinton, MA on April 15, 1925, the eldest of six children born to Robert and Mary Burke Donohue graduating from Our Lady of the Elms College in Chicopee, MA in 1946. She married the love of her life Harry W. Shaughnessy in 1947 until his death in 1990.
She is survived by her eight children Mary (William) Klein, Harry Shaughnessy, Robert Shaughnessy, Paula (late William) Loncar, Brian (his partner Lee Hughes, III of West Newbury, MA), Susan (Shaun) Jackson, Thomas (Susan) Shaughnessy and Trissa (Damon) Wojciechowski; 19 grandchildren and 15 great grandchildren.
She struggled with dementia for eight years, the family choosing to take care of her at home assisted by Kathy, Peggy and Anne her nurses and aides dying at home on her 95th birthday April 15, 2020.
Due to the Covid -19 pandemic service will be private. Mass of Christian burial celebrated with her children attending and it will be live streamed (www.stgregs.org) from St. Gregory's Church on Saturday, April 18, 2020 at 10:30 am followed by interment at the family plot in Williamsville Cemetery. In lieu of flowers the family asks if so desired to contribute in the memory of Mary Shaughnessy to the Dementia Society of America by mail to PO Box 600, Doylestown, PA 18901 or online at www.demetiasociety.org/donate.
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