Rosemary Ann Geraghty

Portland – Rosemary Ann Geraghty, 89, passed away peacefully on July 29, 2016 at The Cedars Rehabilitation Facility with the support of Hospice of Southern Maine. She was born in Burlington, WI on May 6, 1927, the third child of five born to George and Agnes (Becker) Krueger.

Many of her early years were spent riding her bike, listening to jazz music with her friends and working in her Dad’s shoe store. After high school, she studied journalism at Marquette University in Milwaukee, WI. On a blind date, she met her future husband, John (Jack) R. Geraghty and was married in 1949. They lived in many places – Wisconsin, Iowa, Minnesota, New York, Massachusetts, and Maine; in the process they raised nine children. She spent many of her married years working in public school systems tutoring students with learning disabilities, supporting farm workers and being part of a support group assisting the mentally ill in Portland, ME. She loved playing the piano throughout her life, she always had a natural ear for the notes. Rosemary was a voracious reader, loved traveling to the southern coast of Spain and Portugal for many winters with Jack, and was particularly proud of the post and beam house that she and Jack built themselves in Bryant Pond, ME. She was the most kind, gentle and loving person to everyone that was a part of her life and will be missed by so many.

Rosemary is survived by seven children, Jeanne Jones of Westbrook, Michael Geraghty and his wife Gabrielle of Pleasant Hill, CA, Megan Bakken and her husband Thomas of Moscow, ID, Timothy Geraghty and his wife Nancy of Marblehead, MA, Robert Geraghty and his wife Aurora of Gorham, Mary Mendes and her husband Joseph of Portland, Bridget Cloutier and her husband Thomas of Cape Elizabeth; 20 grandchildren, and 14 great grandchildren. She was predeceased by her husband, John Geraghty of Bryant Pond; her son Patrick Geraghty of Boston, MA, her son Daniel Geraghty of Brookline, MA, and a grandson, Eston Jones of Norway, ME.

Her Family wishes to express their great thanks to all the staff at both The Cedar’s Skilled Care and Hospice of Southern Maine for their devoted and loving care for Rosemary. A Funeral Mass will be held September 17, 2016 at 11am at St. Joseph's Church 673 Stevens Ave. Portland, Maine 04103. In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts may be made in remembrance of her to The Cedars, 630 Ocean Ave. Portland, ME 04103, or online at www.thecedarsportland.org/make-a-gift/, and Hospice of Southern Maine, 180 US Route 1 Scarborough, ME 04074, or online at www.hospiceofsouthernmaine.org/give.

Arrangements under the direction of Jones-Rich-Hutchins Funeral Home, Portland, ME.