Mary Agnes Flanagan (née Fitzsimmons), 101, most recently of Wyckoff and Saddle River, NJ, passed away peacefully on the morning of Friday, October 14, 2022, surrounded and comforted by her loving daughters. Mary was born on August 20, 1921, the fourth of five children of Patrick Joseph Fitzsimmons and Anna Marie Fitzsimmons (née Burke), in Kearny, NJ, at the Fitzsimmons' family home. She was a beloved mother, grandmother, aunt, cousin, and friend to dozens spread far and wide who are reflecting on their cherished memories and celebrating her incredible life.

Mary grew up in Kearny, along with her two sisters and two brothers. A brilliant and fastidious student, Mary graduated Kearny High School with honors in the spring of 1939. She continued with her undergraduate studies, showing great acumen for mathematics and literature, at Taylor Business School in Manhattan. Upon graduation, she started her successful career with General Motors.

Mary met her husband of forty years, Joseph Francis Flanagan, through a mutual friend following his return from military service in the U.S. Navy during World War II. They were wed on the morning of July 10, 1948, at St. Stephen's Church in Kearny. They lived in Jersey City and Kearny before finally settling in Hasbrouck Heights which she would call home for the next fifty years.

Following the birth of her first daughter, Mary left the workforce to focus on raising her family and being an active member of her community. She was a faithful member of the Corpus Christi Church parish throughout her tenure in Hasbrouck Heights. Mary returned to work at the Social Security Administration after her three daughters graduated from high school. Upon her retirement, she started volunteering regularly at Hackensack University Medical Center over the next thirty years.

Mary was an avid reader, frequently completing three or more books in a week. She enjoyed vacationing at the Jersey Shore with her family in Stone Harbor. She loved caring for her many nieces and nephews through the years, and especially enjoyed time with her five grandchildren. She moved to Saddle River in 2007 to be closer to her family and her grandchildren. Mary was quite the accomplished board game player, carefully teaching her grandchildren the art of mastering Scrabble, Monopoly, and more.

Mary was predeceased by her adoring husband, Joseph, in 1988. She was also predeceased by her two brothers – Thomas and James Fitzsimmons, her two sisters – Elinor Wyner and Gertrude Fitzsimmons (a member of the Sisters of Charity of Saint Elizabeth) and her son-in-law, Glen Koch. Mary is survived by her daughters, Barbara Mielke (William) of Durham, CT, Deborah Flanagan of Saddle River, and Virginia Amodeo (Frank) of Saddle River, and her grandchildren, Joseph Jurewicz of Jersey City, James Jurewicz (Marta) of Rutherford, Christopher Mielke of Durham, CT ,Eric Mielke of Middletown, CT, and Katherine Koch of Bend, OR. She is also survived by her numerous nieces, nephews and cousins.

A lifetime of support, love, affection, wit, humor, cheekiness, wisdom, inspiration, and guidance, doted out liberally across more than a century, will be carried thoughtfully by all those who were blessed to have even a singular encounter with this spirited, intelligent, graceful, and loving woman. She will be greatly missed.

A Funeral Mass will be held on Saturday, October 22, at St. Stephen's Church, 141 Washington Ave, Kearny, NJ, at 10 AM in remembrance of Mary. The family invites those wishing to pay their final respects to arrive at the church between 9:30 and 10 AM for visitation. Entombment will be at Holy Cross Cemetery & Mausoleum, 340 Ridge Road, North Arlington, NJ, immediately following the Funeral Mass.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests a donation to the Sisters of Charity of Saint Elizabeth, P.O. Box 476, Convent Station, NJ 07961-0476, in memory of Mary. Please mention her relationship to Sister Gertrude Fitzsimmons.