Mary "Maura" Gabriel (O'Grady) Wilkins

Mary (Maura) Wilkins, was born Mary O’Grady on January 6, 1934 in Tobercurry, Co. Sligo,
Ireland to Tom and Ellen O’Grady. She was predeceased by her son Robert, brothers Brendan,
Desi, Tommy and Sister Nancy and her husband Henry Connell. Survived by brothers Dermot
O’Grady and wife Dorothy, Joe O’Grady and his wife Teresa O”Grady-Peyton and sister Carmel
and husband Paddy Doocey, all of Ireland, sister Eleanor and her husband Pat Fahy of
Yarmouthport, Berry wife of the late Desi O'Grady, Son Brian and his wife Dawn their children, her beloved grandchildren, Desmond
and Declan of North Weymouth as well as countless nieces and nephews around the world.
She was known as Maura by her mother, Maudey by her father (don’t ask me why, it’s an Irish
thing) and Maw by her close friends, Mary Kennedy, Catherine O’Neil , Kathleen Woodford and
Maribeth MacDonald amongst many others. She went into Nursing and started her career in
England, then onto Chicago before eventually settling down in Milton. Her loving, caring nature
and huge heart were clearly evident in the profession she chose, but never more so than when
she adopted her two sons, Robert and Brian. She dedicated her life to loving and raising them
in a way that only she could have and gave them countless summers in Ireland with all the
relatives they could handle and so many great memories too innumerable to mention. When
she got the chance to meet Bridie McMahan, Brian’s birth mother, she welcomed her into the
family like a long lost younger sister. She always said that she had hoped Brian would find her
so she would have the opportunity to thank her for the gift she had been given in raising him.
This was no surprise to anyone that knew her.
Her selflessness and indomitable spirit were unmatched in that she dedicated her life to taking
care of others in one form or another as a nurse in a hospital or in nursing homes that she
owned with her former husband. As a mother and grandmother, a title she cherished, she could
not have given anymore of herself. In her last four years, she moved to North Weymouth to be
closer to her family. Many a time, she had to be scolded for acting the same age as her
grandchildren. Her response was shooting a mischievous look with her piercing blue eyes.
She was always there to listen, not judge and had an innate ability to suggest rather than order.
You always knew where you stood her, as an equal. She gave her time to helping others and
shared wisdom by pulling from her own life experiences in the most amazing way. She could
dispense advice that a twenty year old could relate to and in turn do the same thing to someone
close to fifty. She was always laughing and had an infectious personality which drew people to
her and she loved to throw out an occasional curse wood to get a laugh. She loves to play
tennis and bowled with her long time neighbor and friend Gloria and even took up yoga in her
seventies.
In the early hours of January 12, 2021, just a few days after her 87th birthday, she faced her
death and mortality as she had lived her life, with NO FILTER and no fear. She had given strict
marching orders twenty five years prior on how she wanted to go. She went peacefully with no
pain and her dignity intact at home while listening to Irish music and Johnny Cash with her son,
Brian , his wife Dawn, her niece Maureen McCole and her caretaker/godsend Kinsey Greaney
beside her. Her mind and spirit was too powerful for a mere mortal’s body to contain. She gave
us her all and her loss leaves a huge hole in all the lives she came in contact with.
There are no immediate plans for services due to Covid restrictions. A mass at St. Gregory’s in
Dorchester will be held at a later date. In lieu of flowers donations can be made in her name to
Catholic Charities of Boston, Childrens's Hospital 300 Longwood Avenue,
Boston, MA 02115 or St. Judes's, 501 St. Jude Place • Memphis, TN 38105