Mary R McCleery

Mary Rose (Springer) McCleery passed away in the presence of her family on June 10th. She was born in Springfield on May 9, 1924. She was preceded in death by her parents, William and Helen (Griffin) Springer and her sister, Lucille Springer. She is survived by her sister Helen Guidi. Mary graduated from the High School of Commerce in January 1942 and then went on to work for Mass Mutual and worked there until 1945. She married her loving husband, Harry on October 8, 1945 at St. Michael’s Cathedral on State Street in Springfield. She and Harry relocated to New London where Harry finished his tour of duty with the USS Billfish on September 13, 1948. They returned to Springfield where they raised their family of five daughters: Marlene Mukhopadhyay (Bijay), Kathleen Veratti (Thomas), Christine McCleery, (Brian), Colleen Kelley (Tim) and Noreen Lenilko (John). They moved from Springfield to East Longmeadow where they had a home for 25 years. The family celebrated their 70th wedding anniversary in 2015. They were married for 72 years! Mary especially loved her ten grandchildren—David, Tom and Lisa Veratti (Dagnoli), Adam, Brandee (Hall) and Tara Demers, Meghan Kelley, Ian, Emily and Abigail Lenilko. She was especially proud of her fourteen great-grandchildren and prided herself on sending them all cards on holidays. She remembered all of their birthdays and special days without fail. Mary especially enjoyed watching the Red Sox and the Patriots with Harry and playing pitch with friends at the Longmeadow Senior Center and family. She had a wonderful wit and a kind and giving heart. The family appreciates the compassionate and excellent care provided by the surgical ICU and Tower 6A nurses at Baystate Medical Center. Visiting hours will be held on Monday, June 18th from 8:30AM to 10:00AM at the Forastiere Smith Funeral Home, 220 North Main St., East Longmeadow followed by a procession to St. Patrick’s Church in Springfield for a Funeral Mass at 11 AM. Interment will follow at Massachusetts Veterans’ Memorial Cemetery in Agawam. Her family requests that in lieu of flowers, donations be made to a favorite charity in her name.