Mary E. Garry

Mary Emma (Burke) Garry, 79, a well known Dracut resident, died Sunday, April 18, 2010 at Tufts Medical Center in Boston with her loving family by her side. She was the beloved wife of Martin P. "Marty" Garry who died on February 22, and with whom she celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary on August 22, 2009.
Born in Lowell on December 20, 1930, she was a daughter of the late John H. and Marguerite M. (Boland) Burke.
Mary was educated in the Dracut School System graduating as a member of the class of 1948. She attended State Teacher's College at Lowell earning a Bachelors of Education in 1952 and continued her education at Boston University where she completed a Masters of Education in 1955. Throughout her career, Mary was employed as an Elementary Teacher for Dracut Public Schools as well as St. Michael's School in Lowell. She also tutored at Huntington Learning Center in Chelmsford.
She had a tremendous passion and talent for music that led to her involvement of many local choruses. Years back, she was active with the St. Michael's CYO shows and most recently in the St. Francis Parish Show and Dracut Community Chorus. She has instilled her love of music in her granddaughters through piano and violin lessons.
A long-standing Girl Scout, Mary was giving of her time as a Girl Scout leader as a young adult and later for her daughters. She has continued this role currently mentoring her granddaughters and the other young girls of Junior Troop 61212 in Dracut.
Mary was always ready for an adventure and enjoyed traveling to many destinations, near and far. She and Marty enjoyed spending their summers camping in Kennebunkport, ME.
She was a CCD Teacher at the former St. Mary of the Assumption Parish in Dracut and a member of the Catholic Daughters. She was an active member of AL-ANON.
Following her retirement, Mary remained very active with her daughters be it campaigning with her daughter Colleen, teaching alongside her daughter Maureen in her classroom or attending Cathleen's school musicals.
Most of all, Mrs. Garry enjoyed spending time with her family and especially with her two adoring granddaughters, Catherine and Molly.
Mary is survived by three daughters, Maureen V. Riordan and her husband Mark of Dracut, State Representative Colleen M. Garry of Dracut and Cathleen E. Garry of Dracut and her longtime companion Leo Durand of Lowell; her granddaughters, Catherine and Molly Riordan of Dracut; a sister, Marguerite McNeil of Lowell; three sisters-in-law, Mary Molloy and her husband Robert of Norwood; Elizabeth Finch and her husband John of Pelham, NH and Joan Stewart and her husband George of Woburn; a brother-in-law, James Garry and his wife Suzanne of Naples, FL; adoptive grandchildren, Rayann, Herve, Olivia and Jordan Brioche and Peter Durand, all of Lowell; also many nieces, nephews and friends. She was a daughter-in-law of the late Martin F. and Elizabeth (Shea) Garry. She was the sister of the late Catherine M. Horman, Irene J. Burke, John H. Burke, III and Paul R. Burke.