Mary Kathleen "K" McGill (Miller), 84, bid her final Irish goodbye, October 21, 2021. After a brief illness, she passed peacefully in her beloved home. Mary K was born December 23, 1936 in Bayville, NJ to Charles Miller and Margaret (McDevitt) Miller and graduated from Toms River High School. Born in Seaside Park she lived an idyllic childhood with her three siblings and many close-knit cousins, calling the ocean their front yard and the bay their backyard.
After high school, Mary K worked at the First National Bank on Main Street as a secretary. There she met the man she would marry, Gordon "Ray" McGill and the settled into their marital home in Beachwood, just blocks from the Toms River. Our father understood that our mother needed to be close to any body of water. Mary K was employed by the Toms River School District as a secretary of Intermediate North (West). Her she would meet some of her very best and close friends. She also was able to work with her brother, Charles J. Miller, the music teacher at the school.
Mary K was a congregant of St. Catharine's, Seaside Park, and sang in the choir for many years. She was also a member of St. Barnabas, Bayville, where she and her family were faithful attendees.
Our mother was the matriarch of our family, and as any other great leader, she led simply by example! Pure love, kindness, grace and acceptance of all others without judgement were the linchpin of her guidance and influence. Our mother was fiercely independent and wholly self-reliant. Her sly wit and keen intelligence spilled into our DNA producing generations of proper grammar, a dislike for misspelled words and the love of reading. Our mother words were important, so they could be spare but they were always succinct. Unfortunately, her perfect parochial school penmanship was a recessive gene to which none of us inherited. Her faith was unshakeable, never in a showy way, but imbued with a steadfast belief in God and a humility that carried her through life's inevitable ups and downs. She loved her children, grand children and family immeasurably. She loved our Dad's cooking; soups, sauces and stews. She could talk to the animals and they all, big and small, flocked to her. She was a crossword aficionado, often finishing the NY Times puzzle by sundown Sundays.
Once retired, Mary K and Ray gave into their wanderlust and traveled extensively. One of their most treasured trips was to their ancestral Ireland, with extended family. Predeceased by her parents, her late husband of 50 years, her brother James C. Miller and her brother-in-law, Leo Cosgrove. She is survived by her three children(the Irish triplets). Her daughter, Mary Beth McGill (Scarlet and Gannon Coleman) Toms River. Her son Gordon McGill Jr. (Kady and Breena), Neptune City and her daughter and son-in-law Maureen and Mike Misetic,(Mathew and Maggie), Delaware. Her brother, Charles J. Miller, Seaside Park, Her sister, Peg Cosgrove, Virginia. Her Brother and sister-in-laws, James and Patricia Burnham and many other cousins, neices and nephews. Missing our mother dearly is her rescued tubby cat, Mitzi. Mitzi will now be living with Gordon and his daughter.
In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to either St. Jude's or the A.S.P.C.A. Our mother donated to many charities, but those two were especially close to her heart.
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