Mary A. MacVeigh

Mary Alice (Harris) MacVeigh, age 95, passed away peacefully, leaving behind a legacy of devotion to family, tireless work, and a lifelong love of the natural world.

Born in Dayton, Kentucky, to the late Raymond and Edyth (Higgins) Harris, Mary Alice grew up in the Cincinnati, Ohio area. She is survived by her seven children, Kathleen Schweitzer (Ellis, deceased), Michael MacVeigh (Micheal), TJ MacVeigh (Amy), Shauna Chen (James), Heather Ward (Scott), Matthew MacVeigh, and Jeremy MacVeigh (Anna). She was “Grandma” to Bethany, Sarah, Amy, Stephen, Ben, Lydia, Becca, Matthew, Dan, Keelan, Cailyn, and Phrog; “B-Ma” to Melissa, Kyle, Liam, Jessie, and Aidan; and “Gramma” to Brooks, Austin, Laura, and Landon. She is also survived by her sister, Patricia Bruns (Norb), and brother Jim Harris (Marilyn), as well as a large extended family of great-grandchildren, nieces, nephews, and their families. Mary Alice was preceded in death by her infant son, Peter, and brother Tom Harris (Sue). She was also preceded in death by her former husband, Robert MacVeigh, with whom she moved to Needham, Massachusetts, in 1960.

After earning a degree in biology from Our Lady of Cincinnati College in 1952, Mary Alice began a career as a lab researcher at Procter & Gamble in Cincinnati, a job she relished. After she moved to Needham, she focused on her growing family and volunteer activities. For many years, she chaired the stitchery booth at St. Joseph’s Parish Christmas bazaar, channeling her perfectionist tendencies into beautiful handmade items to raise money for the parish. She also wore several other volunteer hats at St. Joseph’s, Xaverian Brothers High School, Ursuline Academy, and in the community. A lover of nature, she was particularly drawn to birds and served as president of the Needham Bird Club for years. In her senior years living in Canton and Norwood, she served as a volunteer with Meals on Wheels, and she delivered library books to shut-ins. She always put others before herself.

As her children got older, Mary Alice returned to school, earning a degree in medical records from Massachusetts Bay Community College. She then embarked on a medical records career at Needham Glover Hospital, where she was valued for her attention to detail and work ethic. She had always been not-so-secretly fascinated by emergency room visits when one of her brood was injured, and she thrived in the hospital environment.

Never one to rest on her laurels, Mary Alice kept busy outside of work too. A temporary arrangement delivering The Boston Globe became permanent for several years, and she was a beloved and reliable newspaper carrier in her neighborhood, loading up her bicycle with papers early every morning. In addition to her biking, she was an avid tennis player and played in many leagues into her eighties. She was also an ace bowler and enjoyed games of any kind, both playing and watching. She particularly enjoyed attending grandkids’ activities, showing up at school plays and concerts, celebrating milestone sacraments, and cheering them on at sporting events from the sidelines in all weather conditions. With family spread out across the country, Mary Alice often traveled to see her children, their families, and her siblings. She was particularly fond of her annual trips to Florida with her siblings and their spouses, soaking in time together and enjoying the warm weather. She also traveled internationally, with memorable trips to Ireland, Thailand, Mexico, and Canada. As she slowed down in her later years, she could often be found working on jigsaw and crossword puzzles, and she was always game for a round of cards.

Mary Alice taught her extended family the fun of playing games, the satisfaction of finishing a tough crossword puzzle, the beauty of birds, the marvel of a spider web, the happiness that art can bring to life, and the joy of singing your favorite tune while doing chores, even when cooking from her “I Hate to Cook” cookbook. She also shared her love of speed—whether on a bike, motorcycle, roller coaster, or in a car sans seatbelt—and delighted in doing donuts in a parking lot after a snowstorm. She will be fondly remembered for her generous spirit, independent streak, and exceptional ability to keep up with her large family’s many birthdays and special occasions.

A Funeral Mass will be celebrated in St. Joseph Parish, 1386 Highland Avenue NEEDHAM, on Monday June 1, 2026 at 11:00 AM, immediately followed by interment at St. Joseph Cemetery, West Roxbury. Arrangements are in the care of Gillooly Funeral Home, 126 Walpole Street, Norwood.

In lieu of flowers, expressions of sympathy may be made in Mary Alice’s memory to the National Audubon Society, Attn: Donations 225 Varick Street, 7th Floor New York, NY 10014 or see audubon.org