Marie McGrath, age 94, of Knoxville, got her wish to “go home” on Sept. 16.
Mrs. McGrath was born in New York, N.Y., later moving to Long Island after marriage. She moved to Knoxville in 2010 after the death of her husband, Joseph. Her Catholic faith was very important to her. The Cathedral of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus became her new church home since her move to Knoxville. She could be heard loudly praying the Hail Mary as she wheeled herself down the halls of the Nursing Center at Little Creek.
Mrs. McGrath was preceded in death by her parents, Mary and Thomas McNamara; her brothers, Thomas and Eugene McNamara; her sisters, Eileen and Barbara McNamara; her daughter, Sheila Galante; her son, Thomas McGrath; and her granddaughter, Carly. She is survived by her daughters, Eileen (Ed) Judice, Jeanne (Michael) Rossi, and Kerry (Michael) Pagano; her grandchildren, Christine (Ben) Sparks, Stacy Priepke, Jessica (Gene) Phillips, Meghan (Keith) Siegel, Tim (Kenia) Jung, Christopher (Jessica) McGrath, Kevin McGrath, Mary (Patrick) Riley, Aiden and Jack Pagano; and 10 great-grandchildren.
Mrs. McGrath had many fond memories of her years working at Connetquot High School in the attendance office and years at St. Patrick’s in Bay Shore, N.Y., where she taught religious instruction and volunteered at the “soup kitchen” as an advocate. She also led a Cub Scout troop of boys with Down syndrome.
A memorial service for Mrs. McGrath was held on Oct. 10 at St. Patrick’s Catholic Church in Bay Shore, N.Y. Her cremains will be interred at the Veterans Cemetery on Lyons View Pike in Knoxville at a later date. Donations in Mrs. McGrath’s memory may be made to the Cathedral of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus or Alzheimer’s Tennessee.