1946
Jean
2018
Jean M. (McGrail) Leary
May 7, 1946 — August 6, 2018
Long before the advent of 'social media' Jean Leary lived it.
Always inquisitive about the well-being of others she was the person who made you smile when she walked into a room . . . but she was happier to see you. Whether in person or on the phone Jean always kept up with her family and her friends . . . some from her childhood days in Cambridge and Belmont to nursing school to work to her large and close band of relatives.
She would tell you that her life's greatest happiness was seeing the birth of her grandchildren, Cole almost two years ago and Sophie just a couple of weeks ago. She beamed with love and delight. And those that loved her were so happy to see her so cheerful.
Jean M. (McGrail) Leary was born in Cambridge, the oldest of four children born to the late Joseph and Mary (Scannell) McGrail. She was ten when the family moved to Belmont.
After graduating from Mount Trinity Academy she went to Cardinal Cushing Academy where she earned a degree in Geriatric Nursing and after that went to LPN school at Youville Hospital School of Nursing in Cambridge.
A Waltham resident for more than thirty years Jean worked for years at Brookhaven in Lexington and before that at Neville Place in Cambridge. She died on Monday, August 6, 2018 at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston.
She leaves her son, Jay Leary and his wife, Kristin, of Acton; her grandchildren, Cole Joseph Leary and Sophie Elizabeth Leary; her sisters and brother, Beth Coughlin and her husband, John, of Watertown, Anne Sheehan and her husband, Tim, of North Dartmouth and Joe McGrail and his wife, Pam Grant, of Wayland and her nieces and nephews, Brendan, Sarah, Jonathan, Max, Leigh, Tyler, Morgan, Sam, Wilson, and Griffin.
Family and friends will honor and remember Jean's life by gathering for calling hours in The Joyce Funeral Home, 245 Main Street (Rte. 20), Waltham on Friday, August 10th from 4 to 8 p.m. and again at 10 a.m. on Saturday before leaving in procession to Our Lady Comforter of the Afflicted Church, 880 Trapelo Road, Waltham where her Funeral Mass will be celebrated at 11 a.m. Burial will be private.
Memorial donations may be made to Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, P.O. Box 849168, Boston, MA 02284-9168.
Always inquisitive about the well-being of others she was the person who made you smile when she walked into a room . . . but she was happier to see you. Whether in person or on the phone Jean always kept up with her family and her friends . . . some from her childhood days in Cambridge and Belmont to nursing school to work to her large and close band of relatives.
She would tell you that her life's greatest happiness was seeing the birth of her grandchildren, Cole almost two years ago and Sophie just a couple of weeks ago. She beamed with love and delight. And those that loved her were so happy to see her so cheerful.
Jean M. (McGrail) Leary was born in Cambridge, the oldest of four children born to the late Joseph and Mary (Scannell) McGrail. She was ten when the family moved to Belmont.
After graduating from Mount Trinity Academy she went to Cardinal Cushing Academy where she earned a degree in Geriatric Nursing and after that went to LPN school at Youville Hospital School of Nursing in Cambridge.
A Waltham resident for more than thirty years Jean worked for years at Brookhaven in Lexington and before that at Neville Place in Cambridge. She died on Monday, August 6, 2018 at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston.
She leaves her son, Jay Leary and his wife, Kristin, of Acton; her grandchildren, Cole Joseph Leary and Sophie Elizabeth Leary; her sisters and brother, Beth Coughlin and her husband, John, of Watertown, Anne Sheehan and her husband, Tim, of North Dartmouth and Joe McGrail and his wife, Pam Grant, of Wayland and her nieces and nephews, Brendan, Sarah, Jonathan, Max, Leigh, Tyler, Morgan, Sam, Wilson, and Griffin.
Family and friends will honor and remember Jean's life by gathering for calling hours in The Joyce Funeral Home, 245 Main Street (Rte. 20), Waltham on Friday, August 10th from 4 to 8 p.m. and again at 10 a.m. on Saturday before leaving in procession to Our Lady Comforter of the Afflicted Church, 880 Trapelo Road, Waltham where her Funeral Mass will be celebrated at 11 a.m. Burial will be private.
Memorial donations may be made to Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, P.O. Box 849168, Boston, MA 02284-9168.
To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Jean M. (McGrail) Leary, please visit our flower store.
Service Schedule
Past Services
Calling Hours
Friday, August 10, 2018
4:00 - 8:00 pm (Eastern time)
Joyce Funeral Home
Funeral Mass
Saturday, August 11, 2018
Starts at 11:00 am (Eastern time)
Our Lady Comforter of the Afflicted Church
Guestbook
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