Mary J. Bowen

Mary J. (Anderson) Bowen, of Wakefield, formerly of Reading and Tewksbury, passed away peacefully on September 5.

Mary was born in Malden on August 1, 1934 to Roland and Anna (Ramsdell) Anderson. She grew up on Broadway in Wakefield. She and her brother Roland were members of the Quannapowitt Yacht Club and enjoyed sailing together.

Mary attended St. Joseph’s School, Nazareth Academy and received her bachelor’s degree from Merrimack College.

She married her husband Warren and together they settled in Reading to raise their six children!

Mary was an amazing mother. She dedicated time when her children were young to raising them. She made countless school lunches, baked cookies or brownies multiple times a week, sewed Easter outfits until the wee hours of the morning and was constantly knitting sweaters, mittens, hats or Christmas stockings. In addition to all of that, Mary was very active in the Reading’s chapter of The League of Women Voters, even acting as President for a year or two. She encouraged all her children to be aware of the issues of our world. Her children often wonder if they were the first household in Reading to be dedicated recyclers. Dinner conversations centered around daily events and could get lively.

As her children grew she began to work part-time. She demonstrated microwave ovens for the Amana Corporation, showing consumers how to use these new devices. She started a craft business called Kathy’s Kloset making doll clothes. Later she went to work as an administrative assistant at Gentext Corp. in Woburn.

After retirement Mary and her husband moved back to Wakefield. They would spend part of winter in Longboat Key. Each summer meant a 2-3 week trip to Martha’s Vineyard, where Mary had gone since she was in her early 20s. It seemed only appropriate that it was on the Vineyard that Mary had her last healthy and active days.

Mary is survived by her children; Margaret Hayes and her husband Greg, Anne Ogden and her husband Ric, John Bowen and his wife Joan, Richard Bowen and his wife Elaine, Kathy Bishop and her husband Paul, Patrick Bowen and his wife Elise. Mary was a very proud Nana to Jared and Hilary Hayes, Spenser, Benjamin and Kinsey Ogden, Nicholas and Lucas Bowen, Anna and Clara Bowen, Samantha Luperon and her husband Eli, Lizzie Bishop and her fiance Sixto Merced and Tori Bishop. She was predeceased by her parents, Roland and Anna Anderson, her brother Roland Anderson Jr and her husband Warren.

92 seems like it should be enough time but her family and friends wish it was longer. She will be missed dearly by many.

Visitation for relatives and friends will be held at the McDonald Funeral Home, 19 Yale Ave, Wakefield, on Thursday September 10 from 4-7pm. Her Funeral Mass will be celebrated at St. Joseph’s Parish, 173 Albion St, Wakefield on Friday September 11 at 11:30 a.m. Interment, Forest Glade Cemetery, Wakefield

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to The League of Women Voters MA 90 Canal St. Suite 414 Boston MA 02114 or to WGBH Educational Foundation, Attention: GBH Office of Gift Planning and Endowment, One Guest Street, Boston Massachusetts, 02135 or via the GBH Website