Ann Lucille McCullough Maher

On Wednesday, October 27, 2021, Ann Lucille McCullough Maher, loving wife, mother and grandmother, passed away in her home. Ann was born January 23, 1935 in The Bronx, NY, the seventh of eight children of Mary Winifred Melody McCullough and John Joseph McCullough. She graduated from Cathedral High School in 1953. On June 2, 1956, she married Kevin Loyola Maher.

Ann and Kevin’s marriage was strong, and she would tell you that she married not just the love of her life, but her best friend. Marrying a military officer meant leaving the support of her family in New York and moving over 20 times during the first 25 years of their married life. They were lucky to have been able to spend 64 years together before Kevin’s passing.

Ann’s life was her family. Creating a home for her family in each new destination was important to her. It was not unusual for her children to come home from school to a room where all of the furniture had been completely rearranged. Ann was known for warmly welcoming everyone who came to her home. Army life came with the responsibility to attend and host many events, but her real delight was in hosting dinner parties for friends, including young West Point cadets who were far from their own families.

Always impeccably dressed, she welcomed everyone into her home and, over the years, this evolved to hosting her adult children’s friends for delicious meals and lively conversation. She had a knack for making comfort food everyone loved, which continued on even after all of her children were grown and had children of their own. From her world famous brownies to the best spaghetti sauce and meatballs you’ll ever have. You hadn’t lived until you got a container full of spaghetti sauce to take home.

It was Ann’s love of family that brought her the most joy. Known as “Ma” to her grandchildren and great-grandchildren, she took care of others first. Being an Army wife included many sacrifices, the most significant of which was caring for five children while Kevin had two tours in Vietnam. Her organized and practical nature coupled with her deep and abiding faith in God and the love she held for her family carried her through these difficult periods of time.

Making celebrations special meant the world to her. Finding the perfect gift for holidays and birthdays fueled many shopping trips with Kevin. And she delighted in creating unique cakes - with Kevin assisting - for birthday celebrations. Even allowing her children to sneak a taste of the icing (and her children knew just when to suddenly show up in the kitchen for that). Seeing her children grow and create families and bring grandchildren into the world was something she took immense pride in. She would often regale the home health aides with stories of her children and grandchildren, but mostly the grandchildren. Seeing her grandchildren brought her the greatest joy. Visits and calls from them would brighten her whole day. She would always say goodbye to her grandchildren by saying, “Love you, mean it!”

Ann was preceded in death by her husband, Kevin. Ann is survived by her children, Kevin (Julie); Joanne (Alan); Tim; Sean (Melvina) and Kathleen; 10 grandchildren: Meghan, Melissa, Maureen, Luke, Sean, Reilly, Chelsie, Paige, Patrick and Molly; and five great-grandchildren: Caoilainn, Aaron, Lilly, Declan and Delaney.

A Funeral Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Friday, November 5, 2021 at 11:00 am at St. Gabriel Catholic Church. The family will receive friends from 10:00 am until the time of the Mass. Interment will follow the Mass at Sharon Memorial Park. For those who wish to attend, please wear a mask.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to St. Gabriel Catholic Church.