Published in the August 24, 2020 edition.
WAKEFIELD — Mary Ann Rich Ellis of Wakefield, 95, passed away on April 23, 2020 peacefully at Massachusetts General Hospital. She was the loving mother of seven children. She was born in Boston on September 11, 1924 to Betty (Naimo) and Joseph Rich who emigrated from Italy and eventually settled in Wakefield. She was especially close to her mother, Betty, and learned first hand how to cook up authentic Italian meals that could feed an army.
She attended Wakefield High School and graduated in 1942. Mary went on to receive her RN degree from Melrose-Wakefield School of Nursing in 1945. She worked in the operating room at Melrose Wakefield Hospital as Head Nurse, as well as Winchester Hospital, Boston University Hospital and Pratt Diagnostic. She has a long work history in doctor’s offices and as Charge Nurse at The Kirkwood Nursing home in Wakefield where she worked until she was 74 years old. She was relentless in her work ethic as she loved her job and cared deeply for her patients. She was highly regarded by her colleagues as having a wonderful bedside manner. She was a true inspiration with her nursing accomplishments.
She was passionate for gardening and had quite the “green thumb.” Her gardens were bright and beautiful, and she especially enjoyed lilies of the valley, pansies, mums and “jack o’ lanterns” for their bright orange color.
She was quite a good tennis player – she was so strong. We all said how she was going to move the piano into the attic one day all by herself! She was a sun worshiper and loved Long Beach in Rockport where she spent most summers playing scrabble, clam digging and enjoying the waves with her family.
She was a true nature-lover. When she wasn’t working, she was outdoors tending to her flower garden, or mowing the lawn. She had unlimited energy. The house on Parker Road in Wakefield was always full of kids, their friends, and lots of animals, including cats, parakeets and the occasional stray who instinctively knew which house in the neighborhood to go to. She never turned anyone away. The door was always open for anyone who needed a place to stay or a meal. She was as beautiful on the inside as she was on the outside and will be remembered as the most generous woman in the world. She was adored by everyone who met her and loved so much by all.
She is predeceased by her brother, Henry Rich and his wife Dolores of Fountain Hills, Ariz. Henry was a hometown Wakefield Warrior football hero of whom she was immensely proud. She is also predeceased by her brother Frank Rich. His surviving wife is Josephine of Peabody. She leaves her youngest brother, Joseph (Sonny) Rich and his wife Ruth of Danvers. She was proud of them all and loved them dearly.
She is the widow of the late Dr. Donald Stephen Ellis of Wakefield, a prominent surgeon and physician for the town of Wakefield. He passed away in 1981.
She leaves her seven children: her daughter Christine Zack and husband Michael of Lexington; her son Lawrence Ellis of Santa Fe, N.M.; her daughter Stephanie Ellis of Salem; her son Donald Ellis Jr. and wife Jeri of Tucson, Ariz.; her son Robert Ellis and wife Kris, along with Tyler and James Mevoglioni of Wayne, N.J.; her daughter Marianne Papageorge of Melrose, whose husband was the late Chris Papageorge; and her youngest daughter Andrea Ellis and her fiancé, Dustin Collyott of Palm Bay, Fla.
Her grandchildren and great-grandchildren were everything to her: Aimee Dumas, Beth Ferro, Amanda Ellis, Ashley Shedd, Danielle (Ellis)Youngblood, Gregory Ellis, Whitney (Ellis) Blau, Brandon Ellis, Nicholas and Stephen Papageorge, and Zachary and Andrew Shedd. Great-grandchildren: Claire and Abigail Ferro, Ava Nadeau, Montgomery and Saylor Shedd, and Jaydon, Katelynn and Madelynn Youndblood. She also leaves step-grandchildren Sasha, Samantha and Sawyer Kaplan, Lyla, Amelia and Ethan Zack, and Sophia and Lucah Bruno. She enjoyed hearing of their exploits, seeing their photos and, best of all, their visits.
She also leaves numerous nieces and nephews. Among them, Scott Rich of Calif., Nancy (Rich) Ledesma of Ariz., David Rich of Calif., and Hank Rich Jr. of Ariz. Cynthia D’Onofrio of Mass., Robert Rich of Calif. and James Rich of Mass. The late Joseph Rich, Jr. of Mass., Thomas Rich of Mass., Timothy Rich of Mass., and Philip (PJ) Rich of Mass., all of whom she cherished dearly and always spoke of lovingly. She leaves many dear friends near and far, especially Marion Veale of New York, her life-long friend and nursing school classmate.
Her funeral mass will be celebrated in St. Patrick Church, 71 Central St., Stoneham on Wednesday, August 26 at 10 a.m. Relatives and friends are invited to attend.
Arrangements in the care of the McDonald Funeral Home, Wakefield.
