Mary Elizabeth Kelleher

Born in Meriden, CT she was the daughter of Carey G. Lowe Jr and Barbara Lowe (nee Hanlan). Mary graduated from Maloney HS in Meriden and the Children’s Hospital of Boston School of Nursing in 1970 beginning a 50 year career as a Registered Nurse. Shortly after graduation, she accepted Greg’s proposal and they were married at her home parish, St Andrew’s, Meriden in 1971.

Starting out at Boston Lying In Hospital in Labor and Delivery, she worked L/D also in Germany at the US Army 2^nd General Hospital in Landstuhl. Returning, he took up her old post until one night close to midnight, she finished her shift as a raging Nor’easter slammed Boston, she went into labor giving birth to daughter Elizabeth. After a 2 years hiatus while the family lived in NJ due to her Greg’s career, they moved to Providence, RI and Mary once again was back at the Lying In Boston.

Another transfer took the family a bit beyond commuting range of the Lying In, to Paris France where son Tom was born at Dr Lamaze’s Clinique Belvedere mostly remembered as having fantastic food and the fact that mothers normally stayed 10-14 days.  A change of company and move to Brussels brought another son, Edward “Ted”.  Meanwhile, Mary became well known among the expatriate community for her large dinner parties combining elegant French cuisine with down home American baking learned from her Mom and Grandmother especially her pies and cakes. She called these her “Camelot years”.

Returning in 1985 and after a few year, she resumed Nursing, first at Conestoga HS then at Bryn Mawr College. She then moved to CHOP/Kids First caring for hundreds if not thousands of kids at the Radnor and Haverford sites. Her last ten years were as a Certified Pediatric Nurse and Allergy Practice Nurse at the King of Prussia CHOP site. She truly loved her work and was fiercely proud of her profession. She retired on her 70^th Birthday in 2019 just before the pandemic after 20+ years at CHOP.

Mary had a truly uncanny ability to connect to kids. She listened to them and they responded which helped immensely for diagnosis and treatment. It was not uncommon to be out and about in Wayne on a Saturday and one would hear a child squeal with delight “Look Mommy/Daddy, its Nurse Mary!!”.

Mary was a deeply committed Episcopalian, attending regularly for 38 years. She served as a Sunday School teacher for a decade, on Altar Guild and a term on the Vestry of St Mary’s in Wayne.

She was preceded in death by her younger brothers Peter and Earnest Lowe. She is survived by her husband Gregory, daughter Elizabeth of Morgantown, PA, sons Thomas of Wayne and Edward (Amber) Carmel, IN. Siblings- Carey G. Lowe III, (Cheryl) of Wolfeboro, NH,  Susan Lowe Heaney (Michael) of Putnam, CT    7 Grandchildren - Victor & Julien Billard, Matthew & Michael Pflum, Kaia, Declan & Finn Kelleher and a plethora of nieces and nephews.

On May 6, her life will be celebrated at St Mary’s Episcopal Church, 104 Louella Avenue, Wayne with a Memorial Service at 11:00 AM, her ashes will be placed in the Columbarium there. A luncheon in the parish hall will follow to share individual memories. Attendees are encouraged to wear pink and white.

Contributions in Mary’s memory may be made to the St Mary’s Wayne Capital fund.