Mary Catherine Callaghan: September 8th, 1956 - August 26th, 2023.

In the early hours of Saturday morning, on August 26th, 2023, Mary Catherine Callaghan (nee Regan) passed away in the comfort and peace of her own home in accordance with her last wish, receiving personalized and loving hospice care from her family after a yearlong hard fought battle with Urothelial cancer. Mary was a loving soul who always gave of herself everything she had to those she loved. She was a loving sister, a devoted wife, a wonderful mother, a doting daughter, a good and loyal friend to many, as well as a warm and caring Aunt to her many nieces and nephews. She will be dearly missed by all, including her many beloved cousins both here and in Ireland that she loved dearly as well as by the many friendships that Mary made in her life that she treasured so much.

Mary was the eldest of six children, born September 8th, 1956 to two lovely parents, Kathleen (nee Carolan) and John Regan (rest in peace) in upper Manhattan. She is also predeceased by her brother John (2016) and an infant son, Tommy Murphy. Mary is survived by her loving and devoted husband, Neil Callaghan, her caring sister, Noreen Leggiero (Mark), her kindhearted brothers Brendan (Kathleen), Terence and Michael and all her adoring nieces and nephews: Anthony, Michael and Kelley Leggiero, Brendan Regan (Sarah), Grace Liranzo (Jhon), Elizabeth and Angelagh Regan, along with many extended family and friends she leaves behind.

By 1962, out of necessity as the Regan family household grew larger in size, Mary’s parents, John and Kathleen, moved the family up to a larger dwelling in southwest Yonkers, purchasing their forever home where Mary and her siblings grew up in. Mary attended St. Peter’s Grammar School locally before going on to enroll at Sacred Heart High School, graduating there in 1975. Mary went on to become a compassionate certified nursing Assistant at Park Gardens NH, and was a staunch union member of Local 144/ 1199 for over thirty years, retiring in 2009, continuing to be a concerned caregiver via private duty as well as assisting aging family members with health issues, always with the utmost care and compassion.

Mary loved her Irish heritage and roots.  Following in the footsteps of both her parents, Mary became involved in the County Leitrim Society of NY, holding offices as a 2nd Vice President, as well as being a Leitrim delegate to the United Irish Counties where she also served as a UIC trustee. She was involved with the Lud-dale Association of Yonkers for decades where she received their Distinguished Service Award in 2014. Mary married her adoring husband Neil in 1986 and for years after they took up residency in Riverdale where they both remained active parishioners at Visitation Church until its recent closing. Mary and Neil enjoyed their weekend warrior vacation trips to their Poconos property at Saw Creek Estates for many enjoyable years, accompanied quite often by many family members and lifelong friends.

Life outside of her marriage and family expanded Mary’s friendships circles over the years, Mary easily making many new friends in-and-around the Woodlawn, Riverdale and Westchester regions  as well as up in East Durham, being a constant supporter of many local based Irish charitable events, especially when musicians were involved, which she loved so much, having been nurtured as a child at the elbow of her loving Aunt, Mary Traynor, who was a professional Irish fiddle player trained by Michael Coleman and Paddy Kiloran among other greats.

Mary’s family will hold the memories of dear moments spent happily with her, be it from a holiday gathering, a special occasion like birthday celebrations or a tradition religious based events such as a communion, confirmation, baptism, graduation or wedding or any Leitrim/ Lud-dale or UIC Dinner dance/ St Patrick’s gathering. We’ll always remember how she had a kind word of encouragement for everyone she came in contact with, especially those struggling with life’s obstacles and did so with a smile and grace that was so genuine and warm to all those fortunate to be blessed knowing her, that would lighten anyone’s heart.

In lieu of flowers, the family is requesting that donations be made in Mary’s memory to either the County Leitrim Society Scholarship fund, PO Box 72, Woodlawn Station,​Bronx, NY 10470 or the Lud-dale Association, 240 Riverdale Ave, Yonkers, NY, 10705.

Additionally, in Mary’s memory, her family strongly recommends all take their health seriously and practice preventative medicine by early detection screenings for cancer, especially if there is a family history. Speak with your doctors and be sure to follow up with regular visits. We can only hope that no one who puts so much love out into the world should ever find themselves stricken down with cancer, #Cancersucks.

A wake will be held Thursday, August 31st from 4:00 – 7:00 pm at the Riverdale-on-Hudson Funeral Home, 6110 Riverdale Ave, Bronx, NY 10471. Mary’s funeral mass will be held Friday morning, September 1st,  9:45 am at St Margaret's of Cortona, 6000 Riverdale Avenue, Bronx, NY 10471. The mass will be live streamed for those unable to be here in person, especially for those family members overseas in Ireland or down south in the Carolinas, that can’t be with us physically.

Riverdale-On-Hudson Funeral Home is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting. Topic: Mary Callaghan Funeral Mass, Time: Sep 1, 2023 09:45 AM Eastern Time (US and Canada)

Join Zoom Meeting https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85011219278

Meeting ID: 850 1121 9278

Please text or WhatsApp message Will Jacobson: (914) 357-3332 if you are having any issues with Zoom.

**If you have questions regarding in-person services, please call the funeral home directly.**

A rose ceremony will conclude the services outside St Margaret’s Church immediately afterwards with a repast to follow for those who wish to join Mary’s family at a memorial  gathering for her at the Dunwoody Golf Course, 1 Wasylenko Ln, Yonkers, NY 10701. 

May she rest in eternal peace and may her heavenly light shine on us always and forever, Amen.