Mary T. (Donnelly) Gale

Mary “Grammy/Grams” (Donnelly) Gale passed away peacefully surrounded by her loved ones on Sunday June 2nd, 2024. After conquering all of her 80 years of life and selflessly devoting herself to her family and their happiness, Grams has finally gotten the peace all saints-on-earth deserve. If you had the privilege of meeting her, know that she left this world exactly how she always presented herself: with unconditional love and a humor that brought light to even the darkest moments. She is loved, she is missed, and her legacy will forever be celebrated in the hearts of her beloved and growing family.

Proudly born and raised in Dorchester, MA to her parents Norbert and Dolly (Gertrude) Donnelly (both deceased), Grammy first graced the world with her light on March15th, 1944. As the second of three children, and a self-proclaimed Mommy and Daddy’s girl, Grammy’s world shifted for the first time when her father unexpectedly passed away two years before her high school graduation in 1961. As her mother excelled and took pride in maintaining the household, Grams and her siblings took it upon themselves to help provide for their family. On May 5th, 1961, only one day after her high school graduation, Grammy began her illustrious 35-year career working for the city of Boston. Working hard, excelling, and receiving promotion after promotion, Grammy started her career as a Clerk Typist in the medical records library at Boston City Hospital, and ended her career as the first female Assistant Purchasing Agent and the first woman to head the Purchasing Division for the city of Boston. As a tenacious fighter and trailblazer for woman in the workplace, her legacy will always live on.

Grammy always spoke about how her life truly started with the introduction of her children. After marrying her late husband Richard Gale in 1970, Grams became a wife and second mother to five young children, while continuing to kick ass in her career. She discussed the challenges that accompanied adjusting to life as both a wife and stepmother at the same time, and how she chose to forgo having her own biological children for the sake of helping to support her new family. Grams joked about taking her maternity leave for the first time after her grandchildren began arriving, when she retired at 53 and devoted the remainder of her life to simply making sure that her family understood what unconditional love looks and feels like. Her grandchildren were her world, and she truly was ours, and it will forever be a blessing that Grams got to meet, hold, and love her first two great-grandbabies, Parker Joly Harris and Madeline Elise Dal Pozzo, over the past three months. She became a safe space and an extra Grammy to all of her grandchildren’s friends and will be forever loved and remembered by truly so many. Her love of Boston sports teams (especially her Celtics!), true crime and reality television (especially her SVU and Real Housewives!), dirty language and jokes (especially her Saturday Night Live!), and making her family laugh and smile, have all been instilled within and celebrated by those of us who were lucky enough to call her ours. You are so loved, Grams.

Grams is loved and survived by her five children, Dyan Dal Pozzo, Denise Gale, Debra Gale and her husband Jay Snow, David Gale, and Doreen Joly. She is loved and survived by her six grandchildren, Matthew Dal Pozzo and his wife Nicole Dal Pozzo, Melissa Dal Pozzo, Danielle Joly, Benjamin Joly and his partner Brendan Quinones, Gabrielle Joly and her partner Jon Harris, and Alexander Joly, as well as her two new great-grandchildren, Parker Joly Harris and Madeline Elise Dal Pozzo. While she selflessly would never have accepted this while she was here with us, she truly was the glue and glitter that held this family together, and we will always be grateful to her.

Grams is loved and survived by her two confidants, best friends, and siblings: her sister, Elaine (Donnelly) Laurenti and her late husband John, and her brother, Norbert (Bobby) Donnelly and his wife Jeannie. She was an adored aunt and is survived by many nieces and nephews who showed her so much love: Lauren and Tim, Arlene Walsh and her husband Paul, John Laurenti and his wife Sandra, Lisa Campbell and her husband Paul, Eddie Laurenti and his wife Angel, and Joan Grace and her late husband Michael. Grammy was a great-aunt to many great-nieces and nephews: John Paul, Riana, Gregory, Lucas and Ella.

Family, friends, and all who loved Mary are invited to attend a Visitation at the Immaculate Conception Church 133 Beach St, Revere on Wednesday, June 5th, 2024 from 9:00am to 11:00am to reminisce, celebrate and honor the life of the most amazing woman: Mary “Grammy” Gale. A Funeral Mass will follow at 11:00am. Relatives and friends are kindly invited.  Interment Puritan Lawn Memorial Park in Peabody.  In lieu of flowers donations can be made to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, TN 38105-9959 or at www.stjude.org or to the Shiva Damghany, Senior Director of Philanthropy for Shriners Children's Hospital Boston, 51 Blossom St, Boston, MA 02114 or at www.shrinerschildrens.org.  For guest book please visit www.buonfiglio.com