Mary Jane McBrady

FALMOUTH – Mary Jane McBrady, 95 years young, of Falmouth and Old Orchard Beach, passed away peacefully on June 25, 2021 at the Gosnell Memorial Hospice House in Scarborough where she received excellent and compassionate care at the end of her “wonderful life”.

Mary Jane was born in Portland on Oct. 18, 1925 to Patrick J. and Elizabeth G. Kilmartin. She grew up in Libbytown with her brother, Edward J. Kilmartin, S.J., and her life revolved around St. Patrick’s Parish. A graduate of Cathedral High School, she worked for the Maine Central Railroad before entering Mercy Hospital School of Nursing. Upon her graduation in the first cadet class of 1947, she went to work at Mercy Hospital as a labor and delivery nurse.

While a nurse, Mary Jane met James A. McBrady “Jim” and they started their life together when they were married Sept. 9, 1950. They returned from their honeymoon via the scenic route as they couldn’t come up with the change for the Turnpike. Together they worked as a team and spent their time with the growing family. Every night dinner would begin at 6:30 p.m. with all present except for Friday “date night” with Jim to Valle’s for a baked stuffed lobster.

The highlight of each winter was an annual family trip. Mary Jane was also a longtime vacationer to Freeport Bahamas, the Jockey Club in Las Vegas and later as one of the “golden girls” of Grand Cayman.

A true matriarch, Mary Jane hosted every holiday until last year including Easter, the Fourth of July, Thanksgiving and Christmas. This was no small task due to the size of the family. One of the happiest places for Mary Jane was the camp at Old Orchard Beach where all have gathered since 1966. The summers were full of fun and laughter for the entire family. As part of the family, Mary Jane’s father “Pa” moved in with the crew in 1970 and remained a fixture until his death in 1983.

Throughout her life, Mary Jane was fortunate to have been a member of many parishes including St. Patrick’s, St. Pius, St. Edmund’s and currently Holy Martyrs as well as her summer churches, St. Jude’s, St. Luke’s, St. Margaret’s and St. Maximillian Kolbe. Her faith was the constant in her life and she cherished her time in church.

Music was an important part of her life, from playing the organ at the original St. Patrick’s Church on a Friday night, to playing her piano for Jim and solely for her own enjoyment. She was also a knitter, jigsaw puzzle whiz, baker (with her infamous chocolate chip cookies and pumpkin bread) and more recently a book reading machine. Initially reluctant, Mary Jane became a hockey fan while having season tickets to the Maine Mariners and Portland Pirates. As a New Englander, she also loved to watch Mookie, Dustin, the Pats and even golf!

Mary Jane was predeceased by her husband, Jim; twin infant daughters, Elizabeth and Ethel; and daughter, her beloved Theresa.

She is survived by her children, James Jr. ”Gus” and Helen McBrady, James and Susan Keeley, Mary McBrady, Edward McBrady and Shirley Kelton, Stephen and Elizabeth McBrady, Anne McBrady and Paul Demers, Patrick and Angela McBrady and Charles McBrady.

Nana, as she was affectionally known by many is also survived by her grandchildren, James III and Nancy McBrady, Stephen and Kris McBrady, Matthew McBrady, Patrick and Elizabeth Clark, Benjamin and Sarah Keeley, Katherine Keeley, Robert and Mckenzie Dickey, Jonathan and Alicia McBrady, Michael Mack and Megan McBrady, Christopher McBrady, Michael McBrady, Kathryn McBrady, Tori Preston, Ian McBrady, Erin McBrady and Kyle McBrady.

In addition to her grandchildren, Nana was also blessed to have many great-grandchildren, Annie, Jack, Olive, Eleanor, Haylee, Lulu, Clementine, Connor, Spencer, Henry, Eli, Margaret, Sydney, Anna, Cooper, Hazel, Gus and Molly. She loved and enjoyed watching the developing personalities in each and every one of them. They were a joy for her. She is also survived by many nieces and nephews.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Thursday, July 8 at 10 a.m. at Holy Martyrs Church, 266 Foreside Rd., Falmouth. Burial will follow at Calvary Cemetery, South Portland. Arrangements are under the direction of the Conroy-Tully Walker Funeral Home, 172 State St., Portland. To view Mary Jane’s memorial page, or to write a condolence, please visit http://www.ConroyTullyWalker.com.

In lieu of flowers, contributions can to be sent to an endowed scholarship that was set up for Mary Jane by her family on her 95th birthday. Please note the “Mary Jane Kilmartin McBrady Nursing Scholarship Fund” at:

St. Joseph’s College

of Maine

278 Whites Bridge Rd.

Standish ME 04084-5263

Attn: Development Office