Mary E. Chandler

Mary E. Foley Chandler passed away peacefully on Sunday, July26, 2015, the Feast Day of St. Anne, in St. Petersburg , Florida following a long and valiant journey with Parkinsons Disease. Mary was born on Pleasant Street in the Gorhams Corner section of Portland to Annie J. Crowley and Michael Martin Folan who immigrated from the villages of Barna and Inverin in County Galway , Ireland. She grew up on 92 Clark Street with neighbors of Irish and Polish Heritage, where her familys life revolved around worship, community and school activities at St Dominics Church. Mary retained lifelong friendships with her classmates from St Dominics, as well as from Cathedral High School from which she graduated in 1945. Mary frequently shared memories of the good times she had ice skating at Deering Oaks and going to the dances at Old Orchard Beach during the big band era, and going to Cheverus basketball games where her brother John Sleepy Foley was an athletic legend. She also enjoyed going on ski trips to Quebec with her workplace friends at New England Telephone and Telegraph where she worked for many years following high school, initially as a pull cord switchboard operator , then later in the Engineering department. Mary retired to invest time as a fulltime mother and homemaker after marrying George E. Chandler in the late 1950s. Mary selflessly encouraged her children and drove all of the New England to afford her children the opportunity to participate in athletic and cultural pursuits. She was also active in her community belonging to the Broad Cove Garden Club in which she held several offices, competed as a member of the Cape Elizabeth Clippers Bowling team, 30 year member at the Purpoodock Golf Club where she competed in the Womens as well as Twight leagues, and served a judge for Diving Events in AAU and Championship swim meets. Mary celebrated all aspects of her Irish culture and enjoyed numerous activities with the Maine Irish American Club as well as Ceili Dancing with Brendan and Mary McVeigh, Set Dancing with Tony Ryan and traveling to Boston to hear traditional music led by Larry Reynolds. Mary treasured the times she visited Ireland and spent time with her Folan and Crowley cousins, visiting the homes in which her parents were born. She listened incessantly to the music of the Connollys from Inverin , as well as Don and Cindy Roy during her illness. Listening to Irish Music brought her joy. Mary never complained during the entire course of her illness and many people often commented on her sense of inner contentment that she would always attribute to her faith in God and being a daily communicant for the majority of her life. The family would like to thank K.P Foley, Claire Foley and the late Betty OBrion for their love and support through the course of her illness, as well as the compassionate care she received from the Evergreen Staff at Arbor Oaks and Suncoast Hospice in Florida. Cheyanne Moody CNA and Cindy Hackstaff RN will be forever in our hearts for their exceptional commitment and kindness. Mary is predeceased by her three brothers John A. Foley, Peter J. Foley , and Michael J. Foley. She is survived by her husband George E. Chandler of St Petersburg, Florida, daughter Ann Marie Chandler of Cape Elizabeth, son Mark A. Chandler and his wife Christina of Williston Park New York and two grandchildren Theresa Galotta and her husband Joseph and John B. Chandler all of New York. Visiting hours will be held on Friday, July 31, 2015 from 2-4 and 6-8PM at the Conroy-Tully Crawford Funeral Home, 172 State Street, Portland. Prayers will be recited at the funeral home on Saturday August 1, 2015 at 8:15AM followed by a 9AM Mass of Christion Burial at St. Louis Church, 279 Danforth Street, Portland . Following Burial at Calvary Cemetery, South Portland, there will be a celebration of Marys life at Maine Irish Heritage Center at the corner of Gray and State Streets in Portland. Those who wish may make contributions in Marys memory to: Catherine McAuley High School, Maine Irish Heritage Center or the Animal Refuge League.