Mary E. (Fennell) Villa of Weymouth, age 80, passed away peacefully at home after a short illness on October 23, 2022. Mary was the youngest of 5 children born to Irish Immigrant parents. She grew up in the Roxbury, Dorchester and West Roxbury areas before moving to North Carolina while Joe was serving in the US Air Force, where their first child was born. The family moved back West Roxbury to have 3 more daughters before moving to Weymouth in 1976 where they lived for 46 years. Most recently Mary moved to Plymouth where she lived with her daughter Barbara. Mary worked for Liberty Mutual for a short time before marrying Joe. She was a stay-at-home Mom for many years, often volunteering at Sacred Heart School where her two youngest children were students. She then went to work at Colonial Nursing Home in Weymouth where she would spend the next 40 years bonding with many coworkers who became her lifelong dearest of friends. Mary loved her job at Colonial, every Christmas she gathered all the neighborhood children and would take them Caroling over to the nursing home. She spent many years as the Activities Coordinator where she would read and play games with the members and at one time had a singing group dubbed the “Silvertones”. She was an avid reader and also loved shopping. She could spend countless hours strolling the discount stores and has an endless collection of Knick Knacks and Christmas decorations. Beloved wife of 53 years to the late Joseph T. Villa before his passing in 2016. Devoted mother to Donna of Weymouth, Barbara Villa-Ford and her husband Michael of Plymouth, Joanne Keegan and her husband Jeff of Weymouth, Christine Walker and her husband Mark also of Weymouth. Beloved sister to Marion Connolly of West Roxbury and the late Billy, Leo and Paul Fennell. Also, a loving sister-in-law to Linda Fennell, Ronald & Deborah Villa and the late Joan Abracham, Helen Fennell and Ann Villa. Loving Nana to Joseph, Julia and Jenna Ford of Plymouth and Jessica & Jacob Keegan of Weymouth. She was a loving aunt to many nieces and nephews. Daughter to the late Julia & Paul Fennell. Visiting hours Saturday October 29 from 2-6 at the Clancy-Lucid Funeral Home. 100 Washington St Weymouth Landing. Relatives and friends are respectfully invited. Interment at the Massachusetts National Cemetery in Bourne will take place privately at a later date.
I worked with Mary at Colonial in the 80’s. She was a gem. I remember the look on her face when I introduced her to Bobby Orr at Boston Garden. Priceless.