Maryellen Driscoll

Maryellen lost her long battle with glioblastoma on June 18th. The world will miss her courage and example; her heartbroken family and friends will miss everything about her. Born in New York to Berenice and the late Dr. Charles F. Reiss, she was raised on Long Island, attending St Patricks in Glen Cove and St. Dominic High School in Oyster Bay. Maryellen graduated from St Bonaventure College in 1971 with a degree in Education, and received her Master’s degree in Administration from Salem State College in 1978. Her teaching career began at the Singer Learning Center in Port Jefferson, NY. She moved to MA in 1972 to take a position at SLC in Andover. In 1973 she began teaching in the Stoneham Public Schools, where, except for a 2 year leave when she taught at the American School of Brasilia, Brazil, she spent most of her career. In 2006, Maryellen left Stoneham to take the position of Assistant Principal at Blanchard Elementary School in Boxboro. In 2007 she was named Principal of that school, and retired in 2010. Maryellen was the founder/owner of the New England Fitness Company, which for over 20 years conducted corporate fitness programs in the greater Lowell area, as well as a daily summer program at the Outer Reach Resort in Truro. NEFC also conducted instructor training workshops throughout Massachusetts. Maryellen met George Michael Driscoll on Race Point Beach in 1972. They were married in 1974, lived in Chelmsford from 1978-1987 and Westford from 1987-2013. In 2013 they moved to Truro, where they had spent every summer for the last 41 years. Maryellen was a loving mother of two boys, the doting grandmother of three beautiful grandchildren, and the North Star of her very large family. She was a take-charge person, to whom everyone went when something needed to be done, and done right. She was very active, loved running, tennis, and her long walks through the Cape Cod National Seashore. She was a caring, sensitive, insightful, brilliant woman, with more talents than can be counted. Maryellen is survived by her husband, son David and wife Marci of Holden MA, son Conor and wife Shaleen, of Easthampton MA, and precious grandchildren Charlie, Declan, and Courtney, who will sorely miss their MeMe. She is also survived by her mother and step dad Berenice and William Sheerin of W. Hartford CT; sisters Pati Reiss, and Brenda Brennan and husband Gerard of SLC, UT; brother Tim Reiss and wife Martha of Avon CT; brother Terry Reiss and wife Michele of Portland OR; brother Charles Reiss and wife Sally of Hinesberg, VT; 25 nieces and nephews, 18 grand nieces and nephews, and 11 step brothers and sisters. In lieu of flowers, gifts in memory of Maryellen Driscoll may be made to the Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center in support of Dr. Elizabeth Gerstner’s brain tumor research. Gifts can be made online at www.giving.massgeneral.org/cancer/donate or mailed to the MGH Development Office , attention of Heidi Bergmeyer, 125 Nashua Street, Suite 540, Boston, MA 02114. Checks payable to Massachusetts General Hospital. Please include in memory of Maryellen Driscoll on the memo line. OR VNA Hospice of Cape Cod, 255 Independence Dr., Hyannis, in memory of Maryellen Driscoll. Visiting hours will take place on Sunday, June 30th 4:30-9:30 p.m. at Doane, Beal & Ames, 729 Route 134, South Dennis, MA 02660. A Funeral Mass will be celebrated 10 a.m. on Monday, July 1st at Our Lady of Lourdes 2282 US-6, Wellfleet, MA 02667 with burial to follow at Old North Cemetery, Truro, MA. For online condolences, please visit www.doanebealamesdennis.com