Geary, Mary E. (Bowman) of Dorchester died peacefully at her daughters home in Quincy on January 15, 2006.
The Beloved Wife of 59 years of William J. Geary of Dorchester. Loving Mother of William J. Geary of Squantum, Patrick Geary of Dorchester and Mary Geary-Salgado of Quincy. Sister of the late William Bowman and June Dillard. Devoted Grandmother of Shawn Salgado, Sean Geary, Robert, Thomas and James Geary and Julia, Maria & Erin Geary. Great Grandmother of Logan and Mia Elizabeth Geary.
Relatives and friends are respectfully invited to attend the funeral from the Keohane Funeral Home, 785 Hancock St., WOLLASTON, Thursday at 10 AM.
Funeral Mass in St. Ann's Church, 251 Neponset Ave. Dorchester at 11:00 AM.
Visiting hours Wednesday 3-8 PM.
Burial in Forest Hills Cemetery, Boston.
In lieu of flowers, donations in memory of Mrs. Geary may be made to The Rogerson House, formerly The Boston Alzheimers Center, 434 Jamaica Way, Boston, MA 02130.
After spending the previous day with her husband and family, Mary E. Geary of the Neponset section of Dorchester, passed away peacefully on January 15, 2006 at the Quincy home of her daughter Mary, son-in-law George Salgado, and grandson Shawn Salgado. Mrs. Geary suffered from Alzheimer’s Disease and was a former participant in Rogerson House (formerly Boston Alzheimer’s Center) Day Program.
Mary Elizabeth Bowman grew up in the Roxbury section of Boston where she met her future husband of nearly 60 years, William Geary. They were married at St. Patrick’s Church in Roxbury and lived in that neighborhood prior to moving to Dorchester in the 1960’s with their three children Bill, Patrick and Mary.
Mary was raised by her mother, Dora Mae (“Ma”) Bowman, who was a Political Ward Boss in Roxbury’s legendary Ward 8. In a colorful era when politics in Boston was as much theatre as government and many of Mayor Curley’s operatives were political characters in their own right, Ma Bowman would often arrange for political rallies which would feature her daughter “Little Mary Bowman” as the singer who would provide entertainment at the Mayor’s political gatherings. Singing a blend of Patriotic songs and show tunes Mary Bowman was a much beloved figure on Mayor Curley’s team.
Mrs. Geary remained an avid political campaigner and worked the polls for such candidates as Roosevelt, Truman, Kennedy, and Dukakis. In 1960 she worked the polls for John F. Kennedy on election day and received two passes to that night’s Boston Garden Rally. Mrs. Geary brought her 13 year old son Billy with her and they attended the jam packed Boston Garden Rally where they sat in the last and highest row in the building.
Mrs. Geary was determined to introduce her son to the future president that night and after the Garden Rally Mrs. Geary walked with her son to the Statler Hotel (now the Park Plaza) in Park Square in hopes of seeing the candidate personally. When they arrived the lobby was filled with hundreds of people hoping to catch a glimpse of Kennedy or shake his hand. However, Mrs. Geary demonstrated her political acumen when Kennedy arrived at the hotel and the crowd surged toward the front door Mrs. Geary took her son by the hand and walked him to a darkened service elevator, where they stayed until Kennedy’s police phalanx brought Kennedy onto the same elevator and she introduced her son to the soon to be President.
Mrs. Geary’s love for politics and public service were passed on to her children. Her son Bill would later hold major positions in the Dukakis Administrations and serve as a White House consultant. In the 1990’s he was able to return his mother’s favor to him by introducing her to President Clinton at the same hotel where she introduced him to President Kennedy. Her son Patrick would be elected President of Teamsters Local #82, and her daughter Mary, a nurse, would serve as Director of the Boston Alzheimer’s Resource Center at Rogerson House.
Professionally, Mrs. Geary went on to become a Senior Systems Analyst with the City of Boston where she was instrumental in establishing the billing department for Boston City Hospital and as its head administrative person she mentored many City of Boston employees. She retired from the City government she loved after 20 years with commendations from Boston’s Mayor, City Council and the Governor of the Commonwealth for her outstanding public service.