From the beginning to the end Mom has always put her family first. Just like Dad she raised us with life long values and standards to live by.  The most supportive and understanding person I’ve ever known. Praying, family and love. She loved visits, get togethers , holidays and all celebrations of individual accomplishments. Christmas was always her favorite, she would always remember and give a special gift to us all. When children and grandchildren would visit she would always make sure they knew how special each one was. Visits made her happy and she would talk about it for weeks. Mom always loved celebrating St Patrick’s day, cooking her corn beef and cabbage, Irish soda bread was a must. She has taught me so much about life, and was always there to support me no matter what. I’ve been told that I’ve been too attached to my parents but they have given me so much joy , love and care for me and my family that I’ll always remember.  Mom would always ask about all my family when ever I visited and told me to say Hi to all when I left. With all the pain and discomfort she lived with she did not complain but accepted to the end. Because of her faith she never showed fear of dying and knew when Dad left us it was her time to follow. Mom not only taught me how to live but also how to die. I will always remember and love you Mom, and I know you are in heaven with Dad smiling down on us.  Thank you for a lifetime of sacrifice and love for us all I love you  Kevin

Although the timing may be terribly wrong for many of us, it is perfect for Grandpa and Grandma.  Here we are, just 6 days after laying grandpa to rest and now we honor grandma and the remarkable woman she was to all of us.  She stayed strong for her family to help us through the loss of grandpa and when she knew we were ok, it was her time to join him. It is a testament of the love and devotion they had for each other that she couldn’t bear to be without him any longer. We can only imagine grandpa saying when he saw her “what you couldn’t even be away from me for a week!!”   Grandma was a remarkable, STRONG, and courageous woman!  We admired, respected, and loved her very much!  She was a sharp woman who had a heart of gold, and a spirit as feisty and tough as they come.  She was our rock, our fierce, family matriarch.  She guided our family with high standards and limitless love. Grandma was full of life.  She lit up a room not only because she was the sharpest dresser there but because beauty followed her wherever she went.  She was a very elegant woman.  She was witty, and she listened and could recall things in a way no one else could.  She believed in always doing one’s best. From the way she held herself, to the way she spoke, Grandma represented self-respect, high standards, and discipline.     ​ Maureen Ann McGarry grew up in Queens New York and was raised as a very faithful Irish woman!  Yes, she was stubborn! She always knew what she wanted and never let anyone sway her determination!  I think this is because she had endured and lived through so much. As a child she experienced the Great Depression and then as a teenager she lived through the repercussions of WWII.  She spoke about the loss of her childhood friends during the war and the devastation she felt when she would learn of their passing through the display of a gold star hanging in the window of the family home.  Her family and her upbringing made her become the resilient woman that she was.  She was very blessed to be brought up with a loving family that consisted of her parents (Irene and James), two brothers (Gene and Jimmy) and her Grandma McCoy.  She had many cousins whom she was very close to and were described as her best friends.   Grandma and Grandpa truly had a one-of-a-kind love story that we don’t see often. They were best friends and devoted to one another. On the day Grandpa passed she told us “We never did anything without speaking to each other first and we did everything together.” I told her that she would speak with him when they would meet again.  The night before Grandpa’s funeral Michelle, Grandma and myself sat at the dining room table.  Although we had heard the story before, we asked her to tell us of when her and Grandpa first met.  She recited it just as I remembered.  She was attending college and Grandpa’s cousin Ray Ferraro was a part of their group of friends.  Back then, she reminded us, they always went out in groups.  They were told that Jack was returning home from the Army and would be coming around a lot.  We asked her “Well what did you think of him at first?”  She quickly answered, “I didn’t like him at all, he was short, not refined and he was ITALIAN, but he had a car and that was uncommon back then.” She reminded us that back in those days everyone stayed within their own ethnic group.  We then asked her “How did he propose marriage?”  She said, “Well it was not romantic at all, he walked me to the door one night after being out and said, “You know I think that we should get married.”  She said that she told him “No way! You’re still in college and I won’t be stuck at home all alone.”  After he graduated, she entertained the idea of marriage.  We asked her what their families thought of this interethnic marriage.  She said her Grandma McCoy who lived with her family at the time told her that she was a “waste of an Irish girl.” Furthermore, her grandmother would not let Grandpa inside the home when she brought him home to meet the family because he was Italian.  She said Grandpa’s father (Poppy) referred to her for the longest time at “the girl.” “Oh and the wedding, it was awkward, we were so afraid that no one would speak to each other.”  The only thing that united us was the fact that both families were Catholic.  Yes, Grandma was fearless and knew what she wanted.  It’s a good thing she followed her heart and married Grandpa.  Cousin Kevin McGarry recalled hearing of their courting trials and called it right when he said “Your dad (Jack) turned out to be the best of anyone!”   ​Grandma’s life revolved around her family, and she always put them first.  Jack and Maureen had 3 wonderful sons Dan, Kevin, and Jim.  She was always so proud of her boys.  She attended all events and any special celebrations they had.  They enjoyed many family vacations together and made countless memories. She raised her boys equally, lovingly, and guided by her faith and strong morals.  She was stern and very proper. She wanted her boys to have good manners and dress nicely every day, even at school. Uncle Jim can attest to this, because the story goes that he would bring jeans to school and change in the bathroom!  Grandpa received flannel shirts for his 95th birthday, and he said to my dad “That’s it Kevin, I want you to take me to Sam’s club to get more flannel shirts and jeans, I don’t’ care what your mom says anymore, I am dressing comfortably!”  It only took him 71 years of marriage to say this!!!  The truth is her boys grew up to be devoted sons, fathers, and husbands. They are a true reflection of values that she taught them.  She loved her boys and Grandpa more than anything!   ​ She also loved her grandchildren and great grandchildren. She enjoyed spending time with all of them and looked forward to her phone calls and gatherings. She had an extraordinary ability to make each of us feel special, stronger, and more confident.  Her encouraging words and belief that we could do anything if we worked hard helped us to become successful.  It made her so proud, too.  She taught us so much, both with her words and stories, and most of all by her example.   Grandma had strong faith; this was the foundation in her life.  She instilled her faith in her family as well.  Her attendance in Church was a constant in her life and she always had her family on her mind and prayers in her heart for us.     She impacted many of our lives by her selfless actions. She was kind and compassionate to all. She was welcoming to everyone she met and would love to tell stories of when she grew up.  She always made sure that if you visited you had plenty to eat after you said your prayers. She demonstrated fierce, loyal, unconditional love for all.  She showed support, and sometimes tough love too, but always her focus was first on her family, and we knew we were her most important and top focus.  It is an incredible thing, for one to leave such a legacy of unwavering love.  She loved everyone unconditionally through good and bad times.  She may not have always agreed with our choices, but would be there for you because she said, “That is what family does, we stick together and support each other.” She loved all of us so deeply and fully. ​ ​She lived for 94 years.  She left behind a legacy of love and purpose. What a blessing from God to have a long life with many experiences. And how incredibly lucky are we to have so many great memories. Grandma, we will always remember that special smile, that caring heart, that warm embrace you always gave us. You have impacted all our lives in so many ways.  You have shaped who we are.  You have influenced us all in the best ways. We will always remember you, Grandma, because you will never be replaced in our heart. Thank you, for being our guiding light, our brilliant and bright matriarch, now and forever.  Until we meet again-We love you. --Your loving family

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Maureen Ann Ferraro

July 20, 1927 – February 11, 2022

DeVol Funeral Home

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