Marie E. Kirwin
‘Beloved Mother, Grandmother, Great Grandmother, Sister’
LOWELL Marie E. (Deignan) Kirwin, a lifelong Lowell resident, died peacefully on November 18, 2013, at D’Youville Senior Care after a long period of declining health. She was the widow of James J. Kirwin who died on January 21, 1996. They were married on July 3, 1941 at St. Margaret’s Rectory in Lowell.
Born December 10, 1922, her death comes just a few weeks before her 91st Birthday. She was the daughter of James A. Deignan and Matilda M. (Burke) Deignan. She grew up in the Highlands section of Lowell, and was educated in the Lowell schools, attending the Morey School and graduating from Lowell High School, Class of 1940, where she was a Girl Officer. She attended Lowell Commercial College.
In 1954, she and her family moved to Belvidere and the Immaculate Conception Parish where she was active for many years.
Mrs. Kirwin worked in the office at Demers Plate Glass in Lowell, and then for many years, she worked as a bookkeeper for Pelham Manor in Lowell, and later at Casa Grande Nursing Home in Tewksbury until her retirement. She came out of retirement to work for seven years in Community Teamwork’s Energy Department.
Mrs. Kirwin was an avid reader as well as an accomplished pastry chef and was well-known for her cooking and baking expertise. She was a Past President of the Keith Academy PTA, the Immaculate Conception School PTA, a member of the League of Catholic Women, and the former Oblate Mission Club.
She is survived by five children, Marie P. Sweeney and her husband, Dr. William E. Sweeney, of North Tewksbury, James J. Kirwin and his wife, Dorothy, of Manchester, NH, William J. Kirwin and his wife, Virignia, of Dracut, Agnes E. Owens and her husband, Thomas J. Owens Jr., of Melbourne, FL, and Patricia A. Kirwin -Keilty and her husband, Francis ‘Frank’ Keilty, of Lowell; twelve grandchildren, William J. Sweeney of Lexington, Patricia J. Kirwin of Manchester, NH, Edward "Ted" J. Sweeney and his wife, Nicole, of Longmeadow, James ‘Andy’ Kirwin and his wife, Stacie, of Manchester, NH,
Kathleen M. Kirwin of Merrimack, NH, Thomas J. Owens, III, and his wife, Kristi, of Palm Bay, FL, Staff Sgt. Nicholas A. Owens, USAF, McDill AFB, Tampa, FL, Michael P. Owens and Kathryn Owens Closson of Melbourne, FL, and Courtney B. Keilty, Padraic J. Keilty, and Conor F. Keilty, all of Lowell; nine great grandchildren, Abigail R. Sweeney and Hannah J. Sweeney of Lexington, Mollie Kirwin and Samuel Kirwin of Manchester, NH, Eva S. Sweeney and Mae J. Sweeney of Longmeadow, Madison M. Owens and Kameron T. Owens of Palm Bay, FL, and Elijah Closson of Melbourne, FL.
She is also survived by her older brother, James A. Deignan of Townsend, and her sister in law, Louise Cannon Deignan of Vermont and many cousins, nieces, and nephews.
She was predeceased by her sisters, Rita V. Karosas, RN, and Patricia A. (Lussier) DeMarco, RN, and her brothers, Attorney Robert L. Deignan and William J. Deignan, and her sisters in law and brothers in law including William J. Kirwin, OMI, Margaret Handley, Ellen Cucinelli, Mary Kirwin, John F. Kirwin, Agnes Collins, Jane Stanton, Henry F. Kirwin, Pauline Deignan, Florence Deignan, Joseph Lussier, Salvatore DeMarco, and her beloved aunt, Helen Burke MacLean, RN.
Marie’s family thanks the staff at D’Youville Senior Care-2A, for the loving and compassionate care given to our mother over the nearly five years of her residence and to the Merrimack Valley Hospice Staff and Chaplain for their comfort and support.
YOU ARE INVITED TO HER CALLING HOURS 4 UNTIL 7 P.M. ON FRIDAY, NOV. 22. ON SATURDAY, HER FUNERAL WILL BEGIN AT 8 AT THE McDONOUGH FUNERAL HOME, 14 HIGHLAND STREET, LOWELL 978-458-6816. HER FUNERAL MASS WILL BE OFFERED AT IMMACULATE CONCEPTION CHURCH, 144 EAST MERRIMACK ST., LOWELL, AT 9 A.M. BURIAL IN ST. MARY CEMETERY. MEMORIALS IN HER NAME TO IMMACULATE CONCEPTION CHURCH BUILDING FUND, 3 FAYETTE ST., LOWELL MA 01852 E-CONDOLENCE SITE WWW.MCDONOUGHFUNERALHOME.COM
