Mary Gannon
January 5, 1933 – November 3, 2017
Associate Commitment: November 4, 1989
Mary (Maura) Hehir Gannon was born in Kilrush, County Clare, Ireland. She was educated in Ireland at a secondary school run by the Sisters of Mercy and at a vocational school in Kilrush. Along with one of her sisters, Mary came to the US in 1953 and worked at Our Lady of Mercy Rectory in the Bronx for four years. Her next job was waitressing at Schrafft’s. Mary married Frank Gannon in 1960 and as the children grew they moved to West Nyack in 1967, joining St. Anthony’s Parish. Mary applied to St. Dominic’s Convent in 1973 and was hired as a housekeeper for the Infirmary. After four years she became a nurses’ aide and in 1980 she received her high school equivalency diploma from the Clarkstown School District.
Mary spent 26 years with the Blauvelt Sisters. After retiring, she often visited the sisters in the Infirmary. As the Associate Program developed, Sr. Jane Francis introduced Mary to the concept and she made her first commitment in 1989. Mary claimed that being so close to the sisters was a wonderful experience and acknowledged their prayers for helping her and her husband raise their children to be good Christians.
Mary was a member of The Irish American Cultural Center in Blauvelt. She is survived by her husband, three children, nine grandchildren, a sister, and seven brothers. She was predeceased by two sisters. Mary was buried from St. Anthony’s Shrine Church in Nanuet.