Obituary of Mary T. McNerney
South Plainfield, NJ - Mary T. McNerney (nee McEvoy), 96, passed away peacefully on
Wednesday, December 27, 2023, at JFK Medical Center in Edison, NJ, surrounded by her children.
Born in Newark, NJ to the late Peter and Catherine McEvoy, Mary was raised in Newark where she attended St. Rose of Lima Grammar School, and later graduated from St. Vincent's Academy. Following her high school graduation, she went on to attend Seton Hall University where she studied Bookkeeping.
In November of 1954, she married the late John F. McNerney and the two resided briefly in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn. They later relocated to the Vailsburg section of Newark, before settling in South Plainfield in 1960. It was here that Mary and John raised their six children.
Mary chose to stay home and care for her children, but as they grew older and began school, she became a librarian for Sacred Heart School in South Plainfield. She later became employed at Lean Line as a comptroller, retiring in 1992.
A devout catholic, Mary was a faithful parishioner of Sacred Heart RC Church. It was here that she served as a Eucharistic Minister and was an active member of the Rosary Altar Society. Mary belonged to the Catholic Daughters and was part of the nursing home team. She also served as a "Listener" through the South Plainfield School District where she would visit elementary school students, sitting with them and acting as a sounding board and confidant.
Mary was an avid reader. She enjoyed praying, especially the rosary, sewing, knitting, and baking. She loved helping others in any way possible –but above all else, she cherished her children.
Predeceased by her husband, John F. McNerney, Mary is survived by her six children: Kathleen (Gary) Harty, Kevin (Kim) McNerney, Eric (Kate) McNerney, Denise (Jeff) Schreier, John McNerney, and Dennis McNerney; grandchildren: Kevin (Nicole), Maura, Jonathan (Candice), Caitlyn (Josh) and Colleen; and great-grandchildren: Evalyn, Madison and Liam. She will also be missed by her sister Anita Colman, nephew, Peter Colman, and niece, Eileen Geyer, as well as a host of extended relatives and friends.
A visitation will be held at McCriskin-Gustafson Home for Funerals, 2425 Plainfield Avenue, South Plainfield, NJ, on Tuesday, January 2, 2024, from 4 PM to 8 PM.
A Funeral Mass will be held at Sacred Heart RC Church, 149 South Plainfield Avenue, South Plainfield, NJ, on Wednesday, January 3, 2024, at 10 AM. Family and friends may gather at the funeral home before mass, beginning at 9 AM.
Entombment will follow at Holy Redeemer Cemetery and Mausoleum, South Plainfield, NJ.
In lieu of flowers, the McNerney family has asked that donations be made to Mount St. Mary’s House of Prayer or St. Vincent’s Academy.