Bridget Mary McGovern was born in New York on July 12, 1938, the second child of Margaret Friel and John McGovern. Known to her family as Betty, she grew up in Manhattan with older brother Charles and younger sister Mary. "Betty", the young Charles's attempt at "Bridget", became her family name.
Outside the family, at school and at work, she was always "Bridget". When the family lived at 4 Manhattan Avenue, Bridget attended Holy Name of Jesus grade school on Amsterdam Avenue and 96th Street, then Cathedral High School on Lexington and 50th. After graduation she worked for Mobil Oil Corporation, and later Fuller Smith Ross advertising agency. In 1969 she began working at Time Magazine, embarking on her long career as Executive Assistant at Time Inc. from which she retired in 1997.
From 1976 through 1991 Bridget worked at Sports Illustrated Magazine. She enjoyed attending sports events associated with that position, such as The U.S. Open at Forest Hills, Winter Olympics in Calgary and Summer Olympics in Los Angeles. Tennis and ice skating were her favorite sports. It seemed that any time you called her, she was watching a tennis match or ice skating competition on TV.
Bridget was also an avid reader of mystery novels — particularly Ann Perry and Robert Parker. She enjoyed crime dramas on TV, especially Law & Order and CSI. She was a life-long Manhattan resident, and walking and taking in the spectacle of life along the streets of Manhattan was one of her daily pleasures.
Betty also enjoyed outings with friends, and gathering with extended family, especially at her sister Mary and brother-in-law Jim Morgan's in New Jersey, where many holidays were celebrated. She was very close to her sister and was deeply saddened by the loss of Mary in 2004.
She was not only fun-loving, but loving. She was devoted to her family, including nieces and nephews. She took great pleasure in choosing gifts for her family. Each Christmas one gift we knew we could expect was Miss Grace's Lemon Cake for each of the families. It was a tradition.
Betty loved to laugh, and enjoyed a good joke, especially if it was sometimes on her brother. She was a gentle soul, easy-going, natural, and very approachable. Her brother would even call and ask her to read him the evening schedule from TV Guide, and she always obliged. If you had to choose one word to describe Betty/Bridget, that one word would be kind. She was never critical, and had no unkind words for anyone. If someone were complaining about a friend or family member, she'd just ignore it or change the subject.
Betty was a wonderful sister, aunt, sister-in-law, and friend. She added so much to our lives. She will be very much missed.
Bridget is survived by: her brother Charles, his son Michael, and daughter Amy Godwin (Anthony); her sister Mary's son James Morgan (Trish), and daughter Susan Ludwig. She was predeceased by her nephew Terrence Morgan.
Grand nephews and grand nieces include: Tara McGovern; Alex and Emma Godwin; Terrence, Fiona, and Norah Morgan; William and Kevin Ludwig, and Michael Kroll.
Partager l'avis de décès
v.1.9.5