Maria Elizabeth (Papazian) Badger

Maria Elizabeth (Papazian) Badger, whose boundless love and compassion for others guided her life as a beloved mother, wife, sister, daughter, aunt, friend, and educator, passed away on Sunday, June 15, at her home in Norwood, Massachusetts. She was 59 years old.

Named after the leading female character in “West Side Story” as well as for the Blessed Mother, Maria was born in Queens, New York, and raised in Fairfield, Connecticut. She grew up on Rowland Road near the Long Island Sound, where she enjoyed summers playing with her childhood friends on Penfield Beach, taking piano lessons, practicing the clarinet, and participating in activities with her Brownies and Girl Scout troops.

Her teenage years in the eighties were spent reading novels on the sofa while devouring Nacho Cheese Doritos (later graduating to Cool Ranch), playing softball, and working her first job with her best friend at Dunkin’ Donuts (where they would do rock, paper, scissors to decide who had to wait on the next customer). As a lover of music, Maria also spent time teaching piano to neighborhood children, taking on roles in the high-school plays, including a memorable run in “Grease,” performing in the marching band, and listening to “Goodbye Yellow Brick Road” and other beloved Elton John LPs.

Known even then for her infectious laugh, competitive spirit during board games, and never-wavering dedication to her family and friends, Maria graduated from Roger Ludlowe High School in 1983 and set off to Providence College.

At college, she met several of her lifelong friends and enjoyed cheering on the Friars at the Final Four, playing racquetball, dancing to records in her dorm room at Meagher Hall, and socializing at Louie’s and Brad’s. She graduated from Providence in 1987 with a Bachelor of Arts in English. She later earned her Master of Arts in Teaching at Simmons College and soon embarked on a teaching career. As an elementary school teacher for nearly 25 years, Maria profoundly impacted and changed the lives of countless students.

Family was the cornerstone of Maria’s life. In 2000, she met her future husband, John Badger, and his stepson, Jerome, and after a brief engagement, they married on April 12, 2003. She gave birth to her son Cameron Knight in 2004 and her son Zachary John in 2005. Maria then decided to pause her teaching career to devote herself to raising Cam and Zach.

She was a devoted mother and incredible teacher to her boys, fostering in them kindness, compassion, and the importance of family. She was the proudest mom and a constant presence at their many sporting events and activities. Maria also loved seeing Broadway shows with Zach. She took tremendous joy in being a mother to Cam and Zach, describing her time raising them as the best part of her life.

Like the North Star, Maria was a constant guiding light to everyone who was lucky enough to have known her. She lived each day with grace, kindness, and compassion. To her family and friends, she was always loving, supportive, and an incredible listener. Her light will live on in those that she loved and those who love her.

After she was diagnosed with Multiple System Atrophy and ALS, Maria faced each day of her life with unwavering courage, fortitude, and grace. Despite facing an uphill battle, she never gave in or gave up–and she continued to fight because she had so much to live for.

Maria is survived by her husband, John, and her sons, Cameron and Zachary, of Norwood, her stepson, Jerome Jackson, of Chelsea, her mother, Rita Papazian, of Morristown, NJ, her brother Norman Papazian, of Beverly, her sister, Ellen Papazian, and her husband, Kenneth MacBain, of Morristown, NJ, her loving nieces and nephews Paul, Stephanie, Gabriel, Alexandra, Calum, and Vivienne, and her beloved dog, Bentley.

Services from the Gillooly Funeral Home, 126 Walpole Street (Rt. 1A) NORWOOD on Friday June 20, at 9:30 AM. Funeral Mass in St. Timothy's Church, Norwood at 10:30. Visiting Hours in the Funeral Home on Thursday from 4-8 PM. Interment Highland Cemetery, Norwood.

In lieu of flowers, expressions of sympathy may be made to the ALS Association. See https://www.als.org