Mary Bradley McElligott

Mary Bradley McElligott of Williamsburg passed away peacefully on November 26, 2024. She was born in New York City in 1942. She was predeceased by her loving husband John. Mary is survived by her sister and brother-in-law, Kathleen and Bill Williams, and her nieces and nephew, Bill, Susan, Stacy, Jocelyn and Megan. She is also survived by her several grand-nieces and nephews and her beloved dog, Dylan. She was predeceased by her brother and sister-in-law, Bill and Rosalie Bradley.

After graduating from the College of Mount Saint Vincent with a BA in English, she went on to earn both her MA and PhD at New York University. She was a Literature Professor at Dominican College in Blauvelt, NY, Marymount College in Tarrytown, NY and Fordham University, Rose Hill Campus, NY. While at Marymount, she served several terms as the Head of the English Department. She made a profound and lasting impact on the lives of countless students, many of whom have maintained contact with her through the years.

Mary was a parishioner of Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church in Ridgewood, NJ for over 30 years. Both she and John volunteered with Meals on Wheels during this time. Most recently, she has been a parishioner of St. Bede’s in Williamsburg where she volunteered as a greeter. Mary also served as a founding member of her community food drive.

Mary was a lifelong learner as she continued to take classes at Bergen Community College and William and Mary. During her time at Marymount, she took sabbaticals in England, China and Italy. She was an avid world traveler, enjoying places such as Ireland, France, Egypt, Greece, Israel, Germany as well as numerous states and islands. Her most recent trip was to Italy where she visited the Cinque Terre. Mary was a lover of the arts. She frequented plays and musicals on Broadway and ballets in Lincoln Center. She enjoyed fine foods and dining out. Mary was a devoted sister, aunt, mentor and friend.

A Funeral Mass was celebrated at St. Bede Catholic Church in Williamsburg on Friday, December 6, 2024.

A Memorial Service in New York will be held in the chapel of Gate of Heaven Cemetery, 10 West Stevens Avenue, Hawthorne, NY where she will be laid to rest. The service and burial will begin at 11:00 on Monday, December 16, 2024.

In lieu of flowers, donations to Doctors Without Borders (doctorswithoutborders.org) would be appreciated.