Worked as secretary at Weymouth Vocational High School
MELROSE — Ann J. (Shiel) Monahan, 92, of Melrose, passed away on Feb. 15.
Ann was born in Boston on Feb. 4, 1923 to Michael and Mary (Gavigan) Shiel. Growing up during the Great Depression, Ann learned the value of a dollar among the many other hard lessons that came from growing up during that era. She was raised in Dorchester and attended Jeremiah E. Burke High School in Boston, where she was a member of the National Honor Society.
Ann was very proud of this achievement and continued to be passionate about the importance of education for the rest of her life. She even helped build the Catholic School at St. Jerome Parish in North Weymouth as a devoted parishioner of the Church. Not long after high school, Ann married William P. Monahan and they spent 49 years by each other’s side. The two raised their family in North Weymouth and spent much of their lives there.
Ann loved spending time at the beach, particularly in Barnstable on Cape Cod, where she made many memories with her family. Outside of raising her family, Ann worked as a secretary at the Weymouth Vocational High School for many years. She was a woman who knew what she wanted and had no problem telling it how it was.
Ann will be greatly missed by all who knew her. She was the loving mother of Mary Eldringhoff and her husband, the late Vernon, of Andover; and to Betty Harvey and her husband Fred of Fort Worth, Texas. She was the beloved grandmother of Colin, Bill, Alison, Caroline and Garrett. She was the proud great-grandmother to Benjamin. Ann was predeceased by her siblings James Shiel, Michael Shiel, Mary Shiel, John Shiel and Nora (Shiel) Hegger. She is also survived by many nieces and nephews.
Visiting hours were held at the Gately Funeral Home, 79 West Foster St., Melrose, on Thursday, Feb. 26, 2015 from 4-7 p.m. Funeral Services will be private. In lieu of flowers donations may be made to: The Fitch Home, Inc., 75 Lake Ave., Melrose MA 02176. To send a message of condolence please visit www.gatelyfh.com.
