Mary Bernadette (Donovan) Oates

Waltham – Mrs. Mary Bernadette (Donovan) Oates, of Waltham, died Sunday, December 7, 2014 at Waltham Crossings. She was 86.

Bernadette was born in Boston on June 25, 1928, a daughter of the late Michael and Hannah (Hanley) Donovan. She was raised in Brookline where she graduated from Saint Mary's High School. After that she attended Burdett School of Business in Boston.

Following her marriage to Robert J. Oates, the couple lived in Watertown for a time before moving to Norwood and then to Waltham in 1966 where they raised their children. Until her retirement Bernadette worked as a secretary for Brenton E. Tyler Insurance Agency in Waltham and before that worked for many years in the same position at Regis College in Weston.

She and her husband loved to travel and had been long time members of Saint Jude Parish where they belonged to the Couples Club and where Bernadette was long active with the Ladies Sodality. In her retirement she volunteered her time with the Meals on Wheels program in Waltham.

Bernadette's husband, Robert, died January 9, 1996.

She leaves her daughter, Nancy B. Quinn and her husband, Michael, of Waltham; her grandchildren, Michael Quinn and his wife, Wendy, Kati Higgins and her husband, Tyler, Robert Quinn and Travis, Ethan and Devan Oates; her great-granddaughter, Madelyn Quinn; her twin sister, Katherine T. Donoghue and her husband, Thomas, of Waltham and many nieces and nephews.

Bernadette was also the mother of the late Stephen F. Oates and a sister of the late William Donovan and Margaret Corcoran.

Family and friends will honor and remember Bernadette's life by gathering for calling hours in The Joyce Funeral Home, 245 Main Street (Rte. 20), Waltham on Wednesday, December 10th from 4 to 8 p.m. and again at 9:30 a.m. on Thursday morning before leaving in procession to Saint Jude Church, 147 Main Street, Waltham where her Funeral Mass will be celebrated at 10:30 a.m. Burial will follow in Saint Patrick's Cemetery, Watertown.

Memorial donations may be made to Seasons Hospice, 275 Grove Street, Auburndale, MA 02466.