Mary J. French Obituary
Mary Josephine (Fitzgerald) French, 86, wife of the late Gerald French, Jr, passed away peacefully at home on April 22, 2025.
She was born in Boston, April 20, 1939, daughter of the late Edward and Josephine (McAvoy) Fitzgerald. She spent her childhood in Jamaica Plain and graduated from St. Thomas Aquinas High School.
Mary Jo made Gloucester her home in 1960 following her marriage to Gerry. She was a devoted and active member of Sacred Heart Church and a Girl Scout leader for many years. She and Gerald were active fundraisers for St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. She held numerous full and part-time positions in Gloucester and Rockport during her lifetime, but her favorite job was being Mom and Nannie.
A proud and loving mother, grandmother and great-grandmother, she was predeceased by her infant son, Gerald N. French III. She is survived by daughters, Joanne Buxton (Jeffrey) of Stoneham, Julie Favaloro (Donny) of Gloucester, Jennifer Needham (Paul) of Greenville, SC, and son, Jeffrey French (Janet Sousa) of Essex, MA. She deeply loved her grandchildren Amanda (Favaloro) Nickerson, Hailey Buxton-Daddio (Andrew), Emma Buxton, Dylan Favaloro, and Gwendolyn French. She was blessed to get to know her great-grandson, Aidan Nickerson.
She is survived by siblings, Patricia Cullen, Edward Fitzgerald (Eileen), William Fitzgerald (Patricia), Paula Drake (Raymond), and Michael Fitzgerald. She was pre-deceased by her sister, Judith Nelson. She is also survived by siblings-in-law, Helena and Jim Creamer, Maureen Hodgkins, Ronald Perrin, Christopher Bethune, Mark French and many nieces and nephews.
Mary Jo was also pre-deceased by in-laws, George and Florence French, Thomas Cullen, John Nelson, Carol and Bill O'Connor, Alice Bethune, Margaret Perrin, Kathleen Ciarametaro, Kevin French, H. Peter Hodgkins, and Shirley French.
Visiting hours will be held at the Greely Funeral home, 212 Washington St, Gloucester, MA on Tuesday, April 29, from 4 - 6 p.m. Her. Funeral Service will be held on Wednesday, April 30, at 12:00 p.m. in the Greely Funeral Home followed by a burial in Seaside Cemetery, Lanesville.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in her name to St Jude Children's Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105-9959 or the American Heart Association, 300 5th Avenue, Suite 6, Waltham, MA 02451.
