Maureen A. Irish

Maureen A. (Mathurin) Irish, age 76,formerly of Worcester and Eastham, MA passed away August 5, 2023 at Brookdale Midtown Crossings Memory Care with her husband of 54 years at her side. Born July 21, 1947 in Worcester, MA, she was the daughter of the late Donat “Don” and Ruth (Grimes) Mathurin.

Maureen grew up on Worcester’s Grafton Hill and attended Saint Stephen’s Central Catholic Grammar, and High Schools.  She earned her Bachelor and Master’s Degrees in Primary Education from Worcester State University.  While in college, Maureen met her future husband Dennis at the former Denholm & McKay Department Store where they both worked during the Christmas Holidays, marrying in 1969.  Maureen began her teaching career at the former Saint John’s/Ascension Grammar School in Worcester.  Following the birth of their son, Matthew on Christmas Eve,  Maureen became a full-time mother.  They bought their first home in Holden and shortly thereafter were joined by their daughter, Kathleen.  Dennis’s employment resulted in relocations to Washington, D.C. and later to Shelton, CT before returning to Worcester in 1976 where Maureen volunteered at the Junior League of Worcester for several years before returning to her teaching career at Chandler Magnet Elementary School in 1994. She and her co-teacher and dear friend Mary Caputo mentored countless student teachers.  Following retirement in 2014, Dennis and Maureen relocated to what had been there summer home on Cape Cod and traveled extensively  in Europe before moving to Sarasota, Florida in 2019.

Maureen had a rich and full life.  She was an active community volunteer, an avid reader, loved to windsurf and ski, enjoyed winters at Sugarbush and Stowe, VT, and summers at Dunes Beach  on Cape Cod Bay and found great joy in the kitchen using her culinary skills to share her favorite recipes and dishes with family, friends, visiting Rotarians, touring rugby players and one memorable dinner with United Nation’s delegates from Ireland and India.

Maureen is survived by her spouse, son Matthew and his wife Anne (Krenicky) and their sons Owen, Brendan and Liam of Worcester and daughter Kathleen and her husband Colonel Joseph Wanat, USAR and their children Madeleine, Colin, and Nolan of Eastham and Washington D.C.  Maureen’s brothers Michael and spouse Lisa of Worcester and John Mathurin of Boston.  Other survivors include several cousins.

A celebration of Maureen’s life will be held Saturday, September 9, from 11AM -Noon at the DCU Club at Polar Park in Worcester during which Maureen’s many friends are invited to share their memories of her. A luncheon reception will immediately follow.  In lieu of flowers the family kindly requests donations be made in Maureen’s name to the Worcester Public Library Foundation for the benefit of Worcester Public School- related activities. Callahan, Fay & Caswell Life Celebration Home, 61 Myrtle Street, Worcester is directing funeral arrangements.

https://www.justgiving.com/worcesterpubliclibraryfoundation