Vahey, MaryClaire (Clancy) of Bow, NH, formerly of Needham, MA, died peacefully at home on December 21, 2014. The daughter of the late Patrick and Mary Clancy (Hurley), she was predeceased by her devoted husband of twenty-four years, Paul Vahey, her step-son, Paul Vahey, Jr., and two brothers, Patrick and John Edward Clancy. MaryClaire is survived by two other brothers, William Clancy and his wife Katherine, of Lynnfield, MA and James Clancy and his wife, Mary, of Centerville, MA, her sisters-in-law, Doreen Clancy of Bradford, VT, and Mary (Goodhue) Clancy of Arlington, MA She is also survived her loving stepdaughter, Jaynemarie Wright and her son-in-law, Sean Wright of Manchester, NH. MaryClaire will be greatly missed by her cousins and nieces and nephews, who loved her dearly. Her passing will also be a great loss to them and her many friends.
Mary grew up in Melrose. After graduating from high school, Mary entered the Religious of Christian Education. While a member of the community, she earned her bachelor’s degree in biology from Newton College of the Sacred Heart (now part of Boston College) and her master’s degree in anatomy and physiology from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She taught advanced placement science classes at Marycliff Academy in Winchester, MA, and St. Genevieve of the Pines in Asheville, North Carolina. Upon leaving the religious community, she returned home and taught school in Melrose, MA. While teaching there and living in Wakefield, she met her future husband, Paul Vahey, whom she married in 1975. Paul and Mary and Paul’s two children lived in Needham. In 1980 the family moved to Bow. Mary continued to teach high school in Melrose and then in Hudson and Pittsfield NH.
All her life she was devoted to her Catholic faith and a strong activist for social justice, whether working for Civil Rights, the Peace Movement, or involving herself in NH politics, supporting and working for candidates who shared that same dedication to social justice.
Her life touched and inspired those around her and was for all a truly wonderful blessing.
Funeral from the George F. Doherty & Sons Funeral Home, 1305 Highland Ave. Needham, Saturday December 27 at 9am (exit 19b off 128). Funeral Mass in St. Bartholomew Church, Needham at 10am. Relatives and friends kindly invited. Visiting hours Friday from 4-8pm. Interment in Newton Cemetery. In lieu of flowers donations may be made in Mary’s memory to Covenant House, 5 Penn Plaza, 3rd Floor, New York, NY 10001.