Mary P. McNeill

To sit down with Mary McNeill was to have your life story coaxed out by her series of charming prods and endless questions until, well, she knew you way more than most people did. Her curiosity about the people in her sphere was boundless.

Mary was born Mary Patricia Bakulski in Manchester, CT, one of eleven first generation Americans; she was predeceased by her 10 siblings. She met her husband, John Brunton McNeill on a babysitting date, and even though he said she was too good for him, he pursued her and they married in 1956. Some of their happiest years were living in New York City where they hit up the cultural scene and Mary wrestled with baby strollers and fifth floor walk ups. Mary took great pride in her work as a successful legal and executive secretary.

Mary and John raised their three children in East, then West Hartford, CT until they moved to Cape Cod in 2011. John predeceased Mary in October 2016 and she missed him terribly.

Some of Mary’s many life lessons were: you can make a whole new cake with the batter you scrape from the bowl; If you’re just sitting around in your car, you may as well make up a song; Don’t cut off your nose to spite your face; Surround yourself with flowers; And don’t be afraid to dance.

Mary passed away on April 28, 2018. We will celebrate her life with a mass and funeral on May 19, 2018 at 11 am at the Sacred Heart Chapel in Yarmouth Port, MA.

We would love to sit down with Mary one more time and have her discover all our successes, secrets and dreams, and maybe discover a few of her’s, too. Along with her extended family of adored nieces, nephews, in-laws and more, Mary is survived by her three children, John Christopher (Patricia) McNeill, Sharon Katherine McNeill, and Lisa Barr (Eduard Senteio) McNeill; and her beloved grandchildren, John Nolan and Henry Fulton McNeill; and Hali McNeill Lukacs, who knew just how much their grandmother loved them — a bushel and a peck and a hug around the neck.