Mary Clare McTigue

Mary Clare McTigue, RN, devoted wife to the late Joseph, mother of three, and friend to seemingly thousands, died on Friday, 16 October, after a nearly year-long battle with cancer.

Mary Clare was a nurse, with a career that included time spent tending to patients at Nazareth Hospital and residents at the Immaculate Mary Nursing Home. In addition, she created a de facto urgent care ward in her kitchen, where she helped neighbors and friends manage their chronic conditions, and tended to her children's mishaps by instructing whoever was not injured presently to run to the upstairs linen closet for a cream or salve that would save the family from both scars and trips to the ER. ("The oven blew up in your face when you opened the door? OK, go upstairs and get the silvadene cream...")

Mary Clare, born Mary Clare Gillespie in Scranton, PA, in 1939, was known as KK to her clan. She was one of 5 children that included Nancy; Mary Jane, her twin sister (yes, we all agree the naming convention was odd); Jim; and Bea.

She was a pianist, until her fingers gave out from arthritis, and a lover of music to the end. She spent decades singing with her husband, Joseph, in the St. Jerome Parish choir, even traveling to the UK and Tanzania to share the gift of music. The choir was one of the most important things to her, and she had missed singing with them.

Described by many as darkly funny, fiercely loyal, straight-talking, and one of the most warm and generous people ever, she will be missed by many. She is survived by her children Kathleen Herbert and her husband, John Herbert; Karen Housel and her husband, Jeffrey Housel; and Michael McTigue; her grandchildren Meghan Diaz and her husband, Ryan Diaz; Thomas McCormick; Rebecca Hines and her husband, Thomas Klotz; and Sarah Wagner and her husband, Michael Wagner; and her sisters Nancy Kelly and her husband, Martin; and Beatrice Robbins and her husband, Lee.

Relatives and friends may greet Mary Clare's family on Friday, October 23, 2020 from 9:30 am - 10:30 am at St. Jerome's RC Church 8100 Colfax Street Philadelphia, PA 19136. Her Mass of Christian Burial will follow at 10:30 am at the church. Interment will be private at the family's request. In lieu of flowers donations may be made in Mary Clare's name to St. Jerome's RC Church or Mount Nazareth 2755 Holme Avenue Philadelphia, PA 19152 would be appreciated.

Social distancing rules will be followed and masks are required.