Mary Ellen Brosnan Endyke, beloved mother and grandmother passed away peacefully, surrounded by her loving family on March 26, 2015.
Mary was born to Cornelius and Catherine Brosnan on June 12, 1935 in Lowell, Massachusetts. She was a graduate of St. Patrick’s High School and earned a B.A. from Merrimack College in 1957. Her teaching career began in Acton, MA where she taught from 1957-1959.
She married Walter Endyke in 1958, becoming a full-time mother to their 7 children. While enjoying homemaking and volunteering at Holy Family Hospital, her children were always her highest priority, from whom she received her greatest joy and fulfillment.
In 1968 she returned to teaching at the Leahy School in Lawrence. She taught grades 3-5 while earning her Masters of Education from the University of Lowell in 1977. She served as Assistant Principal from 1987-1989. During this time she received a commendation from WCVB TV’s “Class Act” series for her ‘Project Order’ initiative designed to promote self-discipline through a peer ranking system.
Mary organized and directed annual talent shows performed at the Lawrence High School Auditorium. These and other Leahy School memories were often mentioned when seeing other students through the years. Mary retired from teaching in 1994. After her children were grown and married, her love of teaching led her to volunteer at the Asian Center of Merrimack Valley where she taught Citizenship, ESL and Creative Writing classes.
As a parishioner at St. Monica’s Church in Methuen, she served as Eucharistic Minister, a member of the Rights of Christian Initiation for Adults team and a singer in the St. Monica’s choir. Mary loved singing and later joined the Methuen Senior Center’s Happy Hearts choral group. She also enjoyed ballroom dancing, sewing and Mass and coffee with old friends. Her loving companion, Louis Ambrosino who recently passed away was by her side for many of these happy moments.
She is survived by her sons Peter Endyke and his wife Karen, Walter Endyke and his wife Joan, Thomas Endyke and his wife Pamela, Daniel Endyke and his wife Gale; her daughters Mary Louise Hubbert and her husband Gregory, Elizabeth Simon and her husband Steven, Ellen O’Brien and her husband John; 13 grandchildren; and her sister Elizabeth Leonard. She was preceded in death by brothers Thomas and Martin Brosnan of Lowell, MA.
Please join us in honoring Mary’s life on Monday, April 6th from 4pm-8pm at Pollards Funeral Home, 233 Lawrence Street Methuen, MA. Her funeral mass will be celebrated at St. Monica’s Church, on Tuesday, April 7th at 11am. Burial ceremony will follow mass at St. Patrick’s Cemetery in Lowell, MA. In lieu of flowers, Memorial Contributions can be made to: Methuen Senior Activity Center - Happy Hearts Chorus 77 Lowell Street, Methuen MA 01844.