Mary’s Obituary Mary Frances (Gallagher) Harriman, 90, formerly of Rockland and Cohasset, MA, was called home to Jesus Christ on January 17, 2019 after an illness of several years. She was born on November 18, 1928 to the late George A. Gallagher, Sr. and Lena T. (Hussey) Gallagher. Mary lived in Rockland, MA for most of her life and was a true Townie through and through, with her family’s origins dating back to the original East Abington in the early 1850’s.
Mary began her education at Market Street School, a two room schoolhouse with no indoor plumbing and graduated from Rockland High School as a member of the celebrated Class of 1946. She was active in the theater, student government, sports and was a member of the inaugural class of Massachusetts Girls’ State Week in 1945. Mary graduated with honors from the Katherine Gibbs School in Boston and began her long career as a legal secretary in 1947.
Throughout her career, Mary proudly worked with many talented attorneys in Rockland whom she admired greatly, including Burt Mahar, James Kenny, Robert and Joseph Geogan, future Plymouth County District Court Judge Paul F.X. Moriarty and her husband, Jerome D. Harriman. Longing to shed the confines of small-town America in the mid-1950’s, Mary moved to New York City, where she met many long- time friends and enjoyed working for Walworth Company, a well known manufacturing firm. It was in New York that she was fixed up on a blind date in 1959 with handsome international banker and her future husband, Jerome D. Harriman.
They were married several months later in April 1960 and spent 48 wonderful years together prior to Jerry’s passing in 2008. In 1961 Mary and Jerry moved to her childhood home in Rockland where they lovingly raised their four children who survive her: Kevin and his wife, Christin of Braintree, MA, Michael of Sturbridge, MA, Mark of Providence, RI and Kathleen (Feidler) and her husband Jordan of Vienna, VA. She is also survived by several nephews and a niece.
Her brothers Robert and George, Jr. predeceased her. Mary was proud as a peacock when called by her grandmotherly name of Mammy by grandchildren Kate, Matthew, Emily, Liz, Calvin, Ben and Claire and dozens of other kids (and adults) in the neighborhood. Mary was a eucharistic minister Holy Family Church for many years and, like her father before her, was an active member of the St. Vincent de Paul Society.
She was a volunteer with the Holy Family School Mother’s Club in the 1970’s and was one of the last remaining charter members of the Lower Crescent Street Chowder and Marching Society. One of Mary’s enduring passions was playing the piano. Throughout her life, Mary also enthusiastically did her part to support the lobster industry in southern New England by consuming her favorite crustacean at every possible opportunity, including her recent 90th birthday celebration.
The Harriman family extends its gratitude to the dedicated and loving nurses and staffs at Grove Manor Estates in Braintree and Hospice Services of Massachusetts for the wonderfully compassionate care with which they treated our Mother. Through their efforts we were deeply comforted by just being her children during this difficult time. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at Holy Family Church, 403 Union St, Rockland, MA on Friday, January 25, 2019 at 9am.
Calling hours at Sullivan Funeral Home, 45 East Water Street, Rockland, MA will be held on Thursday, January 24, 2019 from 4-7pm. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to St. Vincent DePaul Society, Holy Family Parish, 403 Union St, Rockland, MA 02370.
If you found any mistakes, or you would like to add/remove to this obituary, please contact us by email: info@obituary.memorial. We never ask money for this.
