Mary J. Gagnon, RN

Mary J. (Burns) Gagnon, RN, age 97, of Kingston, MA, formerly of Fall River, passed away Monday, May 6, 2024. She was the loving wife of the late Robert J. Gagnon to whom she had been married for 73 years.

Born in New Bedford, she was a daughter of the late John S. and Margaret L. (Ring) Burns. Mary graduated from the Academy of the Sacred Heart, Class of 1944, where she was the captain of the St. Margaret's Team. She went on to attend the Union Hospital Nursing School, graduating in 1947 before continuing her education by obtaining certifications in Emergency Room Nursing in 1980 and Community Health Nursing in 1984 from the American Nurses Association.

A dedicated nurse for 28 years, Mary started her career working at the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York City before returning to Massachusetts to work for the former Union Truesdale Hospital, and Charlton Memorial Hospital, retiring in 1991. Holding a supervisory role in the Emergency Room, she also served as a coordinator of the Surgical ICU, Surgical Floor and Pre-Admission Testing.

Active in many organizations, she served as a past president of the Union Hospital Nurses Alumni, and was a member of the Charlton Memorial Hospital Retirees, the Fall River Gardening Club, Auxiliary of Charlton Hospital, the Academy of the Sacred Heart Alumni Association, the Massachusetts Nurses Association, the American Nurses Association, the Fall River Historical Society and the Catholic Nurses Guild.

Survivors include her children: Marylou Gagnon, RN of Duxbury, Robert J. Gagnon, Jr. of Newport Richie, FL, and John C. “Jack” Gagnon and his wife Beverly of Greensboro, NC; her grandchildren: Helen Salvaterra and her husband Kyle, John S. Gagnon and his wife Natalie, Molly Bauer and her husband Dave, Colin Beatson, Liam Beatson and Madeline Beatson; her great granddaughter, Reese Mary Bauer; along with several nieces and nephews. She was the sister of the late Margaret A. Ross, RN.

Her funeral will be held Monday, May 13, 2024 at 9:00 AM from the Waring-Sullivan Home at Cherry Place, 178 Winter Street, Fall River, followed by her Funeral Mass at 10:00 AM at St. Joseph’s Church, North Main Street, Fall River. Relatives and friends are invited. Visitation will be held Sunday, May 12, 2024 from 2:00 – 5:00 PM. Burial will be in the Massachusetts National Cemetery, Bourne, MA.