Mary G. Holliday passed away peacefully at Carleton Willard Retirement Community in Bedford, MA on February 7, 2014 at age 95. She was surrounded by her loving family and the very caring staff of CWV.

Mary was born in New York City in 1919 to British parents. Having lost her mother during child birth, she was sent back to England where she was lovingly raised by her mother's sister, Dorothy, with whom she maintained a very close mother/daughter relationship throughout life. She was educated at Seaford Ladies College in England, and later worked as an executive secretary.

During World War II, Mary worked for SSAFA (Soldiers, Sailors and Airmen and Families Association) stationed in England and then in Germany, helping to support the war effort through providing family communications for the fighting men of Britain. After the war, she married Jim Holliday, and eventually, they were transferred by Mobil Oil Corporation from London to the US where they continued to raise their three children in New Canaan, CT. Selfless and giving, Mary always worked hard as a wife, a mother, a secretary or as a volunteer for the Red Cross, Garden Clubs and, in her later years, at Carleton Willard, on every committee for which she was needed. She has been an active member of churches wherever she lived. Her passions, apart from her family, included tennis and theater, both of which she excelled at in her younger years and enjoyed immensely as an active patron to the end.

She was predeceased by her husband of 49 years, H.L.C. "Jim" Holliday; her loving guardian/ mother, Dorothy Beadell, her son-in-law, Richard Regan; as well as many good and loyal friends in both the UK and America.

Mary/Mom/Nana/Nans is survived and will be sorely missed by her children Susan Holliday of Sydney, Australia; Jane Regan of Middletown, RI; Richard Holliday and his wife, Dr. Maury McGough of Marblehead, MA; her 5 grandchildren: Andrew Regan and his wife Rebecca of Atlanta, GA.; Gillian Goldsmith of Sydney, AU; Lauren Holliday and her fiancé Peter Fillman of Boston, MA.; Alison Holliday of Boston, MA; David Holliday of New York City, and many nieces, nephews and other family in the UK as well as ALL the many friends she made along the way.

Memorial services are private.


In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to The Seeing Eye, 10 Washington Valley Road, PO Box 375, Morristown NJ 07963 (www.seeingeye.org)