Mary Frances Byrne

Dr. Mary Frances (Woods) Byrne of Yonkers, NY, passed away peacefully on July 6th. She was a beloved wife, mother, “Grandmary,” daughter, sister, aunt, friend and colleague. Mary was born and raised in the Bronx, NY. A daughter to hardworking and proud Irish parents who emigrated from County Clare, Ireland, Mary had a strong work ethic and excelled in school. She attended Our Lady of Refuge elementary school and graduated from St. Barnabas High School. Mary earned a Bachelor’s degree in nursing from Cornell University, and was a charter member of Alpha Upsilon, Cornell’s chapter of the Sigma Theta Tau Honor Society of Nursing. Mary went on to earn her doctorate in nursing practice, as well as advanced degrees in public health, nursing research, and pediatric primary care nursing practice.

In 1967, Mary married Thomas Joseph Byrne and they settled in Yonkers, NY and raised five children. Mary became an accomplished gardener, growing vegetables and sunflowers and tending to her rose bushes. She lived the life of a busy but devoted working mother, regularly attending church and her children’s school events, hosting many holidays, and spending time with extended family who lived a short distance away. Later in life, when their children were grown, Mary and Tom set out on many adventures together including trips to Ireland, Italy, Sweden, Denmark and the Grand Canyon.

In 1997, Mary achieved her dream of owning a home by the water when she and Tom purchased a house in Hampton Bays, NY. Together, they lovingly restored the house which became a hub for family and friends and provided years of cheerful gatherings and happy memories.

Mary devoted her professional life to serving others, and passionately advocated to improve the lives of mothers and children. As a nurse practitioner, she expertly and lovingly cared for patients in clinical settings, and later grew into the roles of nurse educator and researcher. She taught and advised in the Doctor of Nursing Science program at Columbia University School of Nursing where she was appointed the Stone Foundation & Elise D. Fish Professor of Clinical Health Care for the Underserved and Professor of Clinical Anesthesiological Sciences. Mary was instrumental in developing and implementing the School’s visionary Genetics sub-specialty for Nurse Practitioner students. She was funded as Principal Investigator for three National Institute of Health grants, and her research focused on improving the lives of vulnerable populations, including infants born to HIV-positive mothers, children raised in prison, children receiving primary care in low-income neighborhoods and seriously ill children. Mary was considered a national expert on implementing prison nurseries, and was the first nurse to assess maternal-infant attachment, parent-child interaction, parenting competency and child development over time.

Among her myriad professional accomplishments, Mary was recognized as one of the charter members in Columbia University’s Glenda Garvey Teaching Academy, was inducted as a Fellow in the American Academy of Nursing and was named a Distinguished Writer in the mentoring program of Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society. She was a visiting professor at Gothenburg University in Sweden. Mary was the first ever recipient of the annual Emily Fenichel Award for Leadership in the Zero-to-Three Field in New York for her exemplary contributions to infants and toddlers through practice, research, leadership and advocacy. Mary was also presented with the prestigious Audrey Hepburn Award for Contributions to the Health and Welfare of Children by Sigma Theta Tau International for her career devotion to improving the lives of vulnerable children.

Despite her national and international professional recognition, Mary always remained humble and focused on her work. Her deepest pride came from knowing she was making a difference in the lives of others.

Throughout her life, Mary enjoyed the simple pleasures of life: planting flowers, watching the sunset, looking out at the ocean, sitting in the sun, eating coffee ice cream, and sipping a hot cup of tea. She was an avid fan of crossword puzzles, word scrambles and searches, and her extensive vocabulary made her a formidable Scrabble opponent. Mary was a patron of the arts and enjoyed the ballet, the opera, and Broadway shows. For many years she was a member of the New York Botanical Gardens, and introduced family members to the Orchid Show and the Holiday Train Show. She would happily wander museums for hours, and especially loved impressionist paintings. Mary loved all types of music, dabbled in piano playing, and was a lifelong Beatles fan. We are immensely grateful to have had her in our lives, and in her memory, we will strive to emulate her appreciation of all the small joys life has to offer.

Mary was predeceased by her son Thomas and her husband Tom with whom she is now reunited. Mary is survived and lovingly remembered by five children: Timothy Byrne, Dawn Byrne, Suzanne (Byrne) Carroll, Nancy Byrne, and Kieran Byrne; her son-in-law Edward Carroll and daughter-in-law Heather Byrne; five grandchildren: Thomas Byrne, Charlotte Carroll, Shane Carroll, Audrey Byrne and Pierce Byrne; her sister Joan Hayes and her nieces and nephews Mary Hayes, Edward Hayes and Michael Hayes, as well as multiple grand nieces and nephews.

A memorial service will take place on Friday, July 19th, at 10:45 a.m. at St. Joseph’s Church in Bronxville, NY, followed by a luncheon at J.C. Fogarty’s in Bronxville, NY.

Donations in Mary's memory may be made to Hour Children to continue the legacy of her work to improve the lives of incarcerated mothers and their children. Hour Children (hourchildren.org) is a leading provider of services to incarcerated and formerly incarcerated women in New York State. Focused on women and their children, we support families during a mother’s incarceration and help families get back on their feet upon release.