Mary Frances Brosnan

Mary Frances Brosnan, age 94, died peacefully at home on Tuesday, February 20, 2018. She was born Mary Frances Creedon in Oneida, NY on September 15, 1924, the second child of Alice and Frank Creedon. Mary graduated from St. Mary’s Nursing School in Rochester NY. She was predeceased by her husband, Edward Brosnan and her brother, Daniel Creedon.

Mary was proud to have been a member of the Cadet Nurse Corps during WWII. She later worked as an industrial nurse at Oneida Community Silver, where she was chosen by her colleagues as the first (and possibly last) Silver Queen in 1950.

Mary was married to Edward Brosnan in 1951 and moved with him to Philadelphia while he completed his dental studies at the University of Pennsylvania. They subsequently settled in Syracuse NY and later suburban Fayetteville, NY, where they raised six children, with much appreciated help from Arlene Shelton Kane, Ed’s cousin who lived with the family for several years. When Ed died suddenly in 1976, Mary returned to work until retiring and joining her daughters in Arlington, VA. She is survived by her six children, two sons-in-law and two daughters-in-law: Anne Lincoln Curtis (Mel) of Columbus GA, Kate McCollom of Arlington VA, Tim Brosnan (Bunny) of Philadelphia PA, Pat Brosnan of Arlington VA, Rosemary Walker (John) of Ann Arbor, MI and Tom Brosnan (Paula) of Atlanta GA.

Mary loved to be surrounded by her friends and family, always enjoying lively discussion, especially political discourse. She also liked to travel, although most trips were focused on visiting her children or more recently, attending the weddings of grandchildren or the Baptisms of great grandchildren. Fifteen grandchildren (Christina, Abby, Alex, Andrew, Laura, Mary Ann, Sally, Angela, Barbara, Mary Kate, Betsy, Patrick, Megan, Tim and Norah) and six great great grandchildren have lost a loving and proud Gram; they will miss her hugs, cookies and grilled cheese sandwiches. Anne Creedon, wife of Daniel Creedon, remains as a sister and friend and her 20 nieces and nephews will miss her greatly.

Mary lived life fully, and through that full life instilled her enduring faith and the need to care for each other upon generations to come.

The family will greet guests on Friday, February 23, 2018 at Murphy’s Funeral Home, 1102 West Broad St., Falls Church VA 22046 from 4-7 p.m. A 1:30 p.m. Mass of Christian Burial will be offered on Saturday, February 24, 2018 at St. James Church, 905 Park Ave, Falls Church VA 22046 . In lieu of flowers, a memorial donation may be made to We Care Solar, a highly rated charity that provides solar powered energy packs to health workers to reduce maternal mortality in developing countries throughout the world.