Mary Frances Lawler

Mary F. Lawler, 86, passed away on April 23, 2024, at Cheshire Medical Center in Keene, NH, following a prolonged illness. 

Mary was born in Quincy, MA, on May 26, 1937, a daughter of the late Arthur T. and Mary N. (Nelson) Donahue. She was proudly raised in Jaffrey and graduated from the former Our Lady of Monadnock Academy, with the class of 1955. She would later go on to attend the Catherine Labouré school of Nursing in Boston, MA.

Mary was a very diligent and noble nurse. She began her career at Monadnock Community Hospital and would later transfer to Crotched Mountain Rehabilitation Center and would complete a rewarding and fulfilling career of 45 years. Unable to resist the call of aiding others, Mary would continue her education for rehabilitation and nursing administration. She would even go on to develop the state CNFI program at Crotched Mountain Rehabilitation Center.

Mary would spend many years actively working in Peterborough blood drives and would also go on to teach a plethora of students over the years about the art of caring for people of all ages. 

In her retirement, she thoroughly enjoyed returning to Monadnock Community Hospital as a nurse volunteer in the human resources and Mary’s most recent honor was that she received the Granite Stater of the Month award in January for her 12 years of volunteering at Monadnock Community Hospital.

Mary’s happiest times were spent with her loving husband Don, the activity that they both enjoyed the most was traveling in their RV together.

In addition to both of her parents, she was also preceded in death by her beloved son, Timothy McCarthy.

She will be dearly missed by her husband of 48 years, Don E. Lawler, of Jaffrey, NH, her two beloved daughters, Marylee “Missy” Hayes (husband Jeff) of Pittsburgh, PA, and Joanna Lajoie (husband Jim) of New Ipswich, NH, as well as her stepchildren, Darrel Lawler (wife Donna), Brent Lawler (wife Linda), Sue Anne Wheeler (husband Ross), Nora Smith (husband Bob), Dan Lawler (wife Sherry), Sheelah (husband Joey), Dawn Marie Riendeau (husband Ricky), Nadine Hall (husband Chuck), Kim Lawler (wife Patty). 

Mary was also a proud grandmother, leaving behind 32 grandchildren, 78 great-grandchildren, and 6 great-great-grandchildren.

There will be no calling hours.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Thursday, May 2, 2024, at 11:00AM at St. Patrick Church, Jaffrey, NH 03452. Rev. Wilfred H. Deschamps will officiate.