Mary Worden of Mattapoisett passed away peacefully on July 21 in Pinehurst, NC. Hers was a joyful life-filled with art, music, and theater-dedicated to educating and serving others and being with her family.
Born in Nantucket in 1927, Mary was the daughter of immigrants Kathleen Cronin Moriarty and Alan Moriarty. After a childhood in Nantucket and New Bedford, she attended Emmanuel College and graduated with a BA in Social Sciences. She later received an MA in Religious Education from Emmanuel and an MEd from Bridgewater State College.
After teaching several years in the New Bedford public school system Mary wanted to see more of the world, so she taught one year in Madrid, Spain and another year in Etajima, Japan. Her plan to spend a year teaching in Alaska changed because she met Vincent Worden, whom she married in 1959. Forever after it was his fault that she never made it to Alaska. For the last twenty years of her career, Mary was the principal of Dunbar Elementary School. Her art program there won a national award and the musicals she directed had huge casts that included all students.
For decades, Mary and Vincent helped run bingo at St. James. Each year they also hosted four Bingo Parties for the volunteers. Their grandest celebration was a sit-down dinner for 112, possible because dinner was served on the patio and in every hallway and bedroom of the house; having five children and four Moriarty cousins with years of experience serving at these parties helped as well. Mary organized the Brandt Beach celebrations of the 4th of July, including the parade and the races on the beach. She also began the annual summer show and directed it until her daughter was old enough to direct the show herself.
Camp Worden hosted grandchildren in the summertime who needed to follow the “Rules for Campers” posted by their grandmother. Mary was quite happy with this system until her grandchildren reached adolescence and followed her example by posting “Rules for Grandma.”
After retiring, Mary taught theater, art, and music at St. James-St. John School and served as the Director of Religious Education at St. James Parish for 20 years. She taught public speaking, art, theater, and mock trial at the Nativity Preparatory School for 15 years. She was also an active member of Voice of the Faithful and the Women’s Circle of Sacred Threads.
Mary was an accomplished painter who took art classes at UMass Dartmouth and RISD. She sketched, painted, and traveled extensively in most of Europe including Russia, China, Thailand, Mexico, and other countries, but never made it to Canada. Her artwork was sold in a gallery in New York, but the most fervent collectors of her paintings are her children and grandchildren.
Mary was predeceased by her husband Vincent Worden, her sister Kate Ackerman, and her brother Chris Moriarty. She is lovingly remembered by her children Mary Kate (Douglas) DeSimone of Charlottesville, VA; Ann (Kevin) Fitzpatrick of Pinehurst, NC; Margaret of Hanover, NH; William (Deirdre Gilligan) of Tuscaloosa, AL; and Alan (Victoria Powers) of Bethesda, MD. She has also left wonderful memories for her fifteen rule-following grandchildren: Michael, Tim, Mary, and Will DeSimone; Meghan, Kathleen, and Sean Fitzpatrick; Eamon and Liam Worden; John and Kate Worden; and Henry, Charlie, Alexandra, and Isabelle Worden.
A funeral service was held at St. Cecilia Parish in Boston on Friday, August 1. There was a graveside ceremony at St. Mary’s Cemetery in New Bedford followed by a reception. In lieu of flowers, please consider making a memorial donation to the Nativity Preparatory School of New Bedford.
Online condolences may be made at www.bolesfuneralhome.com
