Margaret H. Gormley

Margaret Harvey Gormley 50, of Sandwich, lost her battle with mental illness on Friday, October 27, 2017, just two weeks after her 50th birthday. Maggie was raised in Brookline, MA but had made Cape Cod her home for the last 28 years. Maggie was proceeded in death by her father Henry L. Gormley Jr of West Roxbury, MA and her mother Alice Barton & step-father Millard Cramp of Dennis, MA and her step-brother Bryan Cramp of Hamilton MA. Maggie leaves two sons whom she dreamed of meeting someday. She also leaves her devoted sister Lydia “Gormley” Kirchthurn and her brother-in-law David of Franklin, MA and their three children; Dylan, Alice and Logan; her step sister Marcia Ford of Hamilton, MA, step-sister Valerie Matta and her husband Gerry of Stoneham, MA, and step-brother David Cramp and his wife Lynn of Farmington, CT. Maggie was the beloved niece: of David and Yasuko Barton of San Jose CA; Sister Mary Charlotte Barton GNSH of Philadelphia, PA; Tom and Pat Hartley of Plainville, MA, Robert McGuire of Dallas, TX, Carol and Jim Barton of Stuart, FL, and Mary Morais of Chelmsford, MA and Linda and Hank Teuwen of Yarmouth Port, MA. Maggie also leaves 21 first cousins and many second cousins. Maggie was also loved by her many-many friends, neighbors, and all the caring staff that she has met over the years.

Maggie suffering from a serious mental illness since she was a teenager, a battle few people could have endured so bravely for 50 years. She lived a silent battle, her invisible disability limiting and interrupting the "normal" productive life that she so wanted. She wanted to have a career, raise a family, and enjoy the simple pleasures of being an independent adult. Sadly her condition prevented her from these simple pleasures that so many of us take for granted. Even-though her journey was not what she expected, she never gave up. She was always making a new plan to get her life sorted out. She had passion and she fought against her disability with everything that she had. Until she was done.

Maggie was important to so many people, her life mattered. Mentally ill people get treated like second class citizens, looked down on and judged because they suffer from a disease. Maggie was more than her disease; she was beautiful, and her eyes could light up a room. She loved music, the color purple, and making jewelry. She was kindhearted and had a wicked wit that people adored. She also cared about and helped others. She made community where ever she went and even though, at times she was struggling with her disease, people loved her. Yes, she took her own life, but none who knew of her life long struggle blame her. We all understand. Those many of us who love her and will miss her beautiful smile hope and pray that she has finally found the peace that she searched for and never found here on earth.

A funeral service will be held on Saturday, 11th at 11:00am at New England Chapel, 40 Kenwood Circle in Franklin MA. All who knew and loved Maggie are welcome.