Mary Theresa McGurk

Mary Theresa McGurk passed away peacefully in her sleep on October 2nd with her devoted husband, John, hearing her last breath and remaining with her. Through the years and especially as her illness progressed, Mary was comforted and at peace with John by her side. Born in Portland, Maine as the oldest of five siblings, she left family and friends at twenty-two to begin a new life in Washington, D.C. There she met her love, and they started their family. Moving from Alexandria to Chantilly in 1970, they embraced their new community and would happily be a part of it for the next 50 years. It was a beautiful place to raise their three children: Karen (Bob), Mike (Sara) and Jack (Maureen). From her “spot” at the kitchen table or in “her chair” she would call or write to her sisters Sheila and Ann to keep everyone connected. Later, the Chantilly home became a welcome place for their thirteen grandchildren: Jonathan, Julie, Mark, Matthew, CJ, Joe, Justin, Morgan, Mick, Josh, Madelyn, Ella, and Miles. During her illness, visits from her 3 great-grandchildren, Sophia, Ada, and Anthony brought a smile to her face and “made her day”. Grammie’s was a place where you ate pancakes, sipped tea, and knew you were loved. Mary was “a mother for life”. She helped raise her four siblings and then helped her dear friend, Peggy, with her 8 children. While raising her own children, Mary kept an immaculate house and earned a college degree over an 11-year span. But motherhood, and all that the term implies – loving and caring – did not stop as her children grew older. She immediate became “The Laundry Angel” helping her daughter with the mountains of laundry that come with a big family. She was the sock sorter extraordinaire. She was also back-up for Grandpa, who was caring for her two oldest son’s two children, and finally greatly enjoyed being a part of her youngest son’s two children’s lives. Mary was a much-loved wife, mother, sister, aunt, grandmother and great-grandmother. She was a woman of great faith who devoted her life to her family. Her legacy of love and faith will live on. Her mind and her body are finally at peace. Life goes on, love goes on, it is morning.

Mary Theresa McGurk

November 23, 1940 - October 3, 2024