Crossing guard, bus driver, ‘corps’ mother
Published in the June 22, 2016 edition
MELROSE — Mary Ann (Francis) Dillon, 86, of Melrose and formerly of Wakefield, died at the Tufts Medical Center in Boston on June 20.
Mary was born and raised in Cambridge and was a graduate of Cambridge Latin, Class of 1947. She resided in Cambridge until the age of 20, Wakefield for 55 years and Melrose for 15 years.
Mary worked as a crossing guard and bus driver in Wakefield and also as a security guard for the Mitre Corp for 10 years and Hewlett Packard for nine years. She was a member of St. Joseph Church in Wakefield Mother’s Club for many years and also a member of the bowling team and the Shady Ladies softball team.
Mary loved to play tennis and was a corps mother for the St. Joseph band and drill team.
Mary was the “greatest grandmother ever” and would always be helping others with Meals on Wheels.
Her family was the most important part of her life.
She was the beloved wife of the late Thomas F. Dillon for over 60 years. She was the loving mother of Donna M. Dillon of Woburn, Patty Hinds and her husband Dana of Gilmanton, N.H., Maura Dillon and her husband Bryan Cerullo of Billerica and the late Thomas F. Dillon Jr. She was the mother-in-law of Deborah Dillon of Salem, N.H. She was the cherished grandmother of Danielle, Dana, Dane, Darcy, Devon and Joshua. She was the great-grandmother of Lorraine and Aidan. She was the caring sister of Claire McCabe and her late husband Robert of Maynard, Helen Maloney and her late husband Raymond of Foxboro and the late James Francis and his wife Christine of Concord. She was the sister-in-law of Eileen Dillon, Grace Feeney, Claire Fitzgerald and the late Raymond Dillon, Mary Jones, Patricia O’Neil, Frances Coughlin and Dorothy Coleman. Also survived by many nieces, nephews and friends.
Visitation hours will be held at the Gately Funeral Home, 79 West Foster St., Melrose on Wednesday, June 22, from 4-7 p.m. Funeral from the Gately Funeral Home on Thursday, June 23, at 8:45 a.m., followed by a Mass of Christian Burial in Most Blessed Sacrament Church, 1155 Main St., Wakefield at 10 a.m.
Relatives and friends respectfully invited to attend. Burial in the Massachusetts National Cemetery in Bourne.
For directions and to sign online condolence visit www.gatelyfh.com.
