A loving mother and an avid reader
WAKEFIELD — Mary A. (Kelley) Lilley, age 84, of Wakefield, died Thursday, January 27 at Advinia Care of Wilmington.
Mrs. Lilley’s survivors include her beloved husband of 56 years James F. Lilley, of Wakefield; her daughter, Karen K. (Lilley) Haughey, her husband, Norman J. Haughey, and their children, Nicholas J. and Mary E. Haughey, all of Baltimore, MD; her son, John E. Lilley, his wife, Tricia M. (Umile) Lilley, and their children, Brooke E., Caroline K. and Courtney G. Lilley, all of Wakefield; her brother-in-law, Harry F. Lilley and his wife, Carol A. (Murdock) Lilley and their family of Greenwood; and many cousins, business associates, fellow parishioners and long-time friends.
Born July 31, 1937, in Fitchburg, Mary was the daughter of the late John E. and Florence M. (O’Neil) Kelley and was the sister of the late Rev. John E. Kelley. In 1951 she graduated from St. Bernard Grammar School and in 1955 from St. Bernard High School, both in Fitchburg. She also graduated from the Chandler School for Women in Boston in 1957.
During a long professional career as an accountant, Mary was employed by the offices of John E. Kelley, Accountant and Auditor in Fitchburg; the law firm Ropes and Gray in Boston; Kytron Co., Inc. in Wakefield; the accounting firm of Fulchino and O’Reilley in Wakefield, and later in Burlington; and St. Joseph Parish in Wakefield and worked at the polls for many years.
She also served in Religious Education Program both at St. Bernard Parish in Fitchburg and at St. Joseph Parish in Wakefield.
Mary was an avid reader. She also enjoyed traveling. Most of all, she found great satisfaction in supporting her children and grandchildren in their school activities, their sporting events and their professional endeavors.
She was a member of the St. Joseph’s “Church Ladies,” an informal group which met monthly and in which many friendships were formed and deepened. She also volunteered at the St. Joseph’s Church and belonged to the St. Florence Ladies Sodality.
Her funeral Mass will be celebrated in St. Joseph Church, 173 Albion St., Wakefield on Thursday, February 3 at 10 a.m. Visitation for relatives and friends will be held at the McDonald Funeral Home, 19 Yale Ave., Wakefield on Wednesday, February 2 from 3-6 p.m. Masks required at both church and funeral home.
Mary’s family requests that no flowers be donated. Instead, gifts in her memory may be made to the Wakefield Food Pantry, PO Box 1624, Wakefield, MA 01880.
