Mary Teresa McDonald

Mary Teresa McDonald, age 86, passed away on October 10, 2026. Born in Brooklyn, New York, she was the daughter of Elizabeth and Anthony Quinn. Mary was a proud graduate of Bishop McDonnell Memorial High School. She worked as a secretary before becoming a devoted mother. After raising her children, she returned to work part-time and generously volunteered her time to numerous activities and organizations.

Mary was a devout Catholic and an active parishioner of St. Jude Parish in Monroe, Connecticut, where she enjoyed participating in many parish activities. She was also involved with the Monroe Senior Center and the Gaelic American Club in Fairfield.

Above all, Mary’s greatest joys were her faith and her family, especially being a grandmother to her 10 grandchildren. For more than 20 years, she rarely missed a baptism, First Communion, Confirmation, sporting event, concert, play, or school honor ceremony. She took tremendous pride in celebrating every milestone and accomplishment.

Mary cherished her family’s annual vacations to Cape Cod and fell in love with the beautiful beaches of Turks and Caicos. She also enjoyed visiting family in Ireland whenever she could. Mary will be remembered for her generosity, kindness, humility, sense of adventure, and enthusiastic love of sports.

An avid sports fan, Mary loved watching baseball and was likely among the last loyal fans attending Bridgeport Bluefish games. She was a passionate supporter of UConn basketball and proudly cheered for the Notre Dame Fighting Irish when the local teams were not playing.

Mary could often be found enjoying summer concerts, local and city parades, town fairs, and festivals, especially the Strawberry and Apple Festivals and the annual Christmas fairs. She also loved the Italian Festival, attending plays and musicals, and her weekly bingo games at the Monroe Senior Center. She even enjoyed the occasional trip to the casino.

Mary is survived by her four children, Mary (John Matera), Tom (Anne Torello), Kathy (the late James Spangenberg), and Sean (Jeanne McDonald); her 10 beloved grandchildren, Matthew (Kiara), Michael, Madison, Ryan, Andrew, Meghan, Shannon, Katie Mae, Shea, and Quinn; and her two great-grandchildren, Paolo and Natalia.

The family wishes to express its heartfelt gratitude to the staff at Carolton Nursing and Rehabilitation for the kindness, compassion, and loving care they provided Mary during her final months.

Family and friends are invited to attend calling hours on Thursday, October 15, 2026, from 4:00 to 7:00 p.m. at Spadaccino Funeral Home in Monroe, Connecticut.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Friday, October 16, 2026, at 12:00 noon at St. Jude Parish in Monroe, Connecticut.