Rosemary McAuliffe

Rosemary is predeceased by her parents William McAuliffe (Co. Cork, Ireland) and Rose B.(Payne) and her sister Alice McAuliffe.

Rosemary is survived by her loving family here in Boston as well as her many cousins in Ireland.

Rosemary attended Regis College and is a graduate of the class of 1949. At the age of 94, she was re-elected as class president. Rosemary is also a graduate of New England School of Law in 1956 where she obtained her law degree.

Rosemary was born in New Rochelle, NY and during the Great Depression her family moved back to New Bedford to be close to her mothers family. After the death of her father in 1960, the family moved to Boston, to enable both she and her sister Alice to practice law and settled in to her forever home in Boston’s North End. There she wove the many many friends of her neighborhood into the rich tapestry of her life.

Rosemary was an avid world traveler and included Russia, Peru, Italy, Greece, The Caribbean, and more into her itinerary and of course her favorite second home, Ireland.

Rosemary was a retired Boston School Teacher. During her time working for Boston Public Schools she served as an English teacher at the Hennigan, Tobin and Gate of Heaven. She also practiced law in Boston and maintained her license to practice law right up to 2025. Her law degree gave Rosemary purpose in life and she provided most of her services “pro bono”. Rosemary was a candidate for Boston School Committee in the 1970’s, during the City’s most tumultuous times of the bussing crises.

Rosemary was the Regent of the 100 year old North End Catholic Daughters Court Ausonia as well as a board member of the Missionary Society of Saint James the Apostle.

Rosemary is remembered as a “glass ceiling breaker” as she worked tirelessly for women’s rights and civil rights, (her mother was a suffragette in the turn of the century), she is known for her gentle disposition, her ability to embrace people from all walks of life, her kindness, her quick wit and her deep thought. She is known for her spunk and love of life, and of course her stubbornness of which we believe kept her ageless.

If the cobble stones of the North End of Boston could talk, I know the stories of Rosemary McAuliffe would be endless, and funny and sometimes a little bit fresh. And now Rosemary is free to embrace all of her golden memories and behold a life well lived.

A visitation for Rosemary will be held on Thursday, December 11, 2025, from 4 pm to 7 pm in the J.S. Waterman Langone Chapel, 580 Commercial St., Boston. COMPLIMENTARY VALET PARKING ATTENDANTS AT THE FRONT DOOR.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Friday, December 12, 2025, at 10 am in St. Stephen's Church, 401 Hanover St., Boston. Interment to follow at St. Mary’s Cemetery, New Bedford, MA. In lieu of flowers, please make your donation in memory of Rosemary McAuliffe to: Miriam Boyd Parlin Hospice Residence, 10 Green Way, Wayland, MA. 01778