A great play, like a life well lived, has a beginning, a middle, and an end, and includes witty dialogue, great laughs, and a star in the leading role. The perfect leading lady, Mary Brigid Butterfield Reidy, made her final performance April 17 in New Orleans. A fun, curious, independent woman, she lived life on her own terms to the very last day.
Preceded in death by her husband, John Patrick Reidy. Beloved mother of daughters Brigid (Theodore) Anderson and Erin Clinard, and son Kilty Reidy. Loving GrandMarie to Siri, Tiernaur, Liam, and Stefan Anderson and Darby, Briggs, and Hazel Clinard. Fond aunt to many nieces and nephews. Sister of Patrick Butterfield, the late John Butterfield, and Kathleen Wagner, whose loyalty and love were steadfast.
In Act I, Mary was born in Chicago on May 4, 1929, to Irish immigrant parents Thomas and Marian Butterfield. She grew up in Canaryville, attended St. Gabriel grammar school and Mercy High School. After graduation, she worked at Swift & Co. and was part of the St. Gabriel Theater Guild where her life long love of theater began. She then headed to Springfield, Illinois, where she met her husband, John Reidy. Both were on the staff of Governor Otto Kerner and campaigned for Adlai Stevenson. After getting married in 1962, she was a representative for the Illinois Board of Economic Development and was commissioned a Kentucky Colonel. She was a fan of horse races from the Kentucky Derby to the Louisiana Derby.
What is a play without a journey? In Act II, John’s career took them to Houston, Charlotte, Memphis, and New Jersey. While raising her three children in Charlotte, she was an active part of the Mountainbrook neighborhood, and a prominent parishioner at St. Ann Catholic Church. Her adventures and accomplishments ranged from opening Mary Reidy Realty to creating the St. Ann’s vaudeville show.
In Act III, Mary arrived in New Orleans, a city that embraced her for 31 years. It truly became her home. Always advocating for the arts, she was active in fundraising for all cultural activities in New Orleans. She was a founding member of New Orleans Shakespeare Festival at Tulane, served on the board of the Southern Repertory Theater, was on the board of the Women’s Guild of the New Orleans Opera Association, and the Board of Advisors for the New Orleans Opera Association. She was a member of BRAVO, Amici, LPO Volunteers, and the New Orleans Opera Club. She was a painter, an active tennis player, a voracious reader, and an avid book collector.
As her curtain call, a Funeral Mass will be held at St. Mary’s Assumption Catholic Church, 2030 Constance Street, New Orleans, LA. in the Irish Channel on Tuesday, April 23 at 11 am, preceded by visitation at 10 am. Donations to Amici are appreciated, amicimonc.org. Burial at All Saints Cemetery in Chicago will be private. Please honor Mary by gathering with friends, telling a good story, and enjoying a glass of wine.
The family invites you to share your thoughts, fond memories, and condolences online at www.lakelawnmetairie.com
SHARE OBITUARY
v.1.8.18