Mary Buckley

Clinton- Mary Buckley, 90, formerly of West Haven and East Lyme, passed away Friday, February 21, 2014 at Peregrine’s Landing in Clinton. She was born on October 22, 1923 in New Haven, daughter of the late Joseph and Antonetta (Loiurio)Tantimonaco.

Mary began her long career in nursing after graduating from St. Raphael’s School of Nursing. After working as a Registered Nurse at the Hospital of St. Raphael Mary moved on to industrial nursing at United Elastic Corp. in West Haven. Later in life Mary earned her BS at Southern Connecticut State University and continued her nursing career at the VA Hospital in West Haven, retiring at age 70.

Mary loved parties. Birthday parties, family gatherings and holidays were opportunities to prepare favorite foods for her loved ones. She and Vincent had special times and lots of fun when their grandkids visited.

Mary travelled the world with her cousin Mary and also shared with her a love of the theater. For years they attended plays at Long Wharf Theater in New Haven and gave many volunteer hours to the Long Wharf Theater Guild, including preparing meals for the actors.

In retirement, Mary loved working in her garden, even trimming her hedge and mowing her own grass after age 80, taking daily walks along the boardwalk in West Haven and attending programs at the West Haven Historical Society and West Haven Community Center.

She is predeceased by her husband, Vincent Buckley and her brother Carl Tantimonaco. She is survived by her daughter, Kathleen Patterson and her husband Robert M.Patterson of East Lyme; her sisters Carol Ross of Milford and Lucille Ross and her husband Howard of West Haven. She is also survived by her two sister-in-laws Sharon Tantimonaco of Derby and Irene Vogt of Ft. Myers, FL; her grandsons Buckley Griffis and his wife, Jennifer, of Boynton Beach, Florida, and Nicholas Griffis and his wife Dorothy of New London, and grandaughter Jennifer Griffis of West Haven. In addition, she is survived by two nieces, three nephews, step-grandchildren Aimee Passarella of Lakeland, Florida, and Robert E. Patterson of Old Lyme, and 7 great-grandchildren.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at St. Mary’s Church in Clinton on Saturday, March 1, 2014 at 11:00am. Burial will be private. Please visit www.fultontherouxoldlyme.com for photos, tributes, directions and more service information.

Contributions in her memory may be made to the Alzheimer's Assoc. of Connecticut, 2075 Silas Deane Highway, Rocky Hill, CT 06067.

The family would like to thank the staff at Peregrine's Landing for the loving and supportive care they gave to Mary during her stay there. Thanks also to VITAS Hospice Care for the compassion they showed for her during her last days.