Mary Marsh

Mary Theresa Marsh of Richmond Valley, great grandmother of 26, has died in her beloved Richard Avenue home.  She was 93. She was born Mary Suchay to Ukrainian immigrants Peter and Katie Suchay on the lower east side tenements of Manhattan. When she was nine years old, she moved to the "country" which was Staten Island in Sunnyside. Mary attended P.S 29 and graduated from Curtis HS in 1948. She won the sewing award for her hand stitched graduation dress. She then worked as a teller in the Bankers Trust Bank in lower Manhattan.

During high school, she met the love of her life and future husband, William Marsh (Bill), on the South Beach boardwalk, when he shouted "Hey Blondie". For years they delighted in telling their grandchildren that story. Bill predeceased her in 2015. Bill and Mae (as she was often called) were married in 1952 in Immaculate Conception Church in Stapleton. The very next day they flew to Barstow, California where Bill was stationed as a United States Marine during the Korean War. The newlyweds spent a few years in Southern California before returning to Staten Island and settling on Richard Avenue outside of Tottenville where Mary lived to her death.

Mary raised six children; William (Priscilla), Peter (Grace), Kathy Dowd (Thomas), Charles (Deborah), Margaret Costello (the late Marty), and John (Deborah). She is also survived by 15 grandchildren: Peter Marsh (Shari), John Marsh (Chrystal), Joseph Marsh (Stephanie), Joy Moverly (Michael), Martin Costello (Kari), Justin Marsh, Will Marsh (Ali), Andrew Costello, Mary Wilson (Steven), William Dowd (Theresa), John Dowd (Emily), Emily Daponte (Patrick), Brandon Marsh (Gabrielle), Katie Guastavino (Philip), Dayna Marsh. Also Thomas Dowd (Christine) and Amy Dowd (John). Mary was also blessed with 26 great grand children.

During her school years, Mary was a member of Materchristie Guild, a class mother and a girl scout leader in Our Lady Help of Christians school. Also she was president of the Babe Ruth Auxiliary while her husband was one of the founding fathers of the South Shore Babe Ruth League. After her children were raised, she was a home attendant for the elderly in their homes and even cared for an elderly aunt and her mother in her own home.

Spending time with her grandchildren was the highlight of her older years making sure to attend all graduations and was always the sponsor for all her granddaughters confirmations. Besides always loving to dance, she and her husband took to running in the 1990's and could be found running the local road races including the S.I. Advance Race with some of their children and grandchildren, always happily at the back of the pack. They traveled around the country and world visiting interesting places of worship such as the Loretto chapel in Arizona; Poland; and even renewed their marriage vows on a hilltop in Medjugorje, Yugoslavia.

In her later years, she would walk miles at the Mount Loretto Unique Area Park and even as she began using a walker, could be found climbing up the big Monsignor Hill inspiring walkers half her age. Mary spent many hours cleaning the grotto there where people would leave prayer cards and items of loved ones.

She always offered a drink and something to eat to all who entered her home even to her dying days on hospice. Mary prayed the Rosary daily for anyone who asked for special need and intention.

The family asks to say a Hail Mary or the Rosary for them in honor of their mother Mary.

In lieu of flowers, donations to Stephen Siller Tunnel to Towers or Our Lady Help of Christians Parish can be made in Mary's name.