Mary E. Wood Buckley
Passed on September 9, 2023
Resident of Middleboro - Holbrook, MA
Mary Edna (Wood) Buckley, 92, of Middleboro, formerly of Holbrook and Wakefield, NH passed away peacefully at home on September 9th, 2023. Mary was the beloved wife of sixty five (65) years to Richard Patrick Buckley, who passed away May 19th, 2022. Loving mother of Deborah Dineen and her husband Paul of Norwood, Richard P. Buckley, Jr. and his wife Gwenn of Holbrook, Timothy Buckley and his fiancée Laura Bete of Hanover, and Joanne Buckley of Braintree. Adored Gram of Michael and his wife Amanda, Jessica, Richard III, Greyson & Great Gram to Avery. She also leaves behind her best friend, guardian angel and confidante Patricia “Pat” Graney and her brother Daniel Wood. Mary was predeceased by her brother Charles Wood and sister, Catherine Kelly.
Mary was the daughter of the late Charles & Ethel (Davis) Wood. She was raised in East Boston, MA and was a proud graduate of East Boston High School. Mary worked at Liberty Mutual Insurance in Boston as a switchboard operator (where she & Dick first met) and held various positions over the years at Sears in Quincy, MA and Dunnington Drugstore in Holbrook, MA. Mary’s favorite “position” of all was as a mother and homemaker, where she lovingly raised and cared for her children, grandchildren and husband. She was patient, kind, quietly funny, quick-witted, strong and the best pie & coffee cake baker of her generation!
Mary spoke fondly of family vacations to Maine where she would spend the summers with family and the many friends, cousins and neighbors that visited Littlefield Beaches. During her many years in retirement with Dick, Mary enjoyed attending and helping plan numerous military reunions throughout the country with the 508 & 337 Field Artillery Units. She enjoyed entertaining and frequent shopping excursions with Dick when they lived in New Hampshire. Mary enjoyed having a glass of white wine before dinner most afternoons with Pat as well as their weekly visits to the hair salon which she always looked forward to!
Mary was the glue that kept everyone together; despite cognitive challenges over the past year or so, she managed to keep everyone in check and on their toes! Mary received wonderful care from many kind and loving people…the very same people that cared for Dick. She was the very best wife, mother, grandmother, sister, cousin, sister-in-law, mother-in-law and friend that anyone could ask for…and she will be sorely missed by all who knew her.
A funeral Mass will be held on Friday, September 22nd at 11am at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in Holbrook, MA and a reception luncheon will take place immediately following the funeral service for friends and family at the Rockland Golf Club located at 276 Plain St, Rockland, MA 02370.
A private burial will take place on Monday, September 25th at the National Cemetery in Bourne, MA.
Donations in her memory may be made to Cranberry Hospice located at 36 Cordage Park Circle, Suite 326, Plymouth, MA 02360.
I had the pleasure of working with Mary at the Dunnington Drug Store in Holbrook. She was a joy to work with and made me laugh everyday! She was a hoot! I remember the day she and Mary, another coworker, turned 50!! She taught me so much. She was patient and kind and knew everyone who came through our doors! She was someone we could always count on. She loved her family and husband and was always doing something for them. She treated me as one of her family. She will always hold a special place in my heart. I miss her.