Mary Corrigan

Mary Elizabeth Corrigan, age 77, of Ponte Vedra Beach, FL passed away on Sunday, October 20, 2019 surrounded by her loving family. Born in Omaha, Nebraska and raised in Grosse Pointe, Michigan, she was the second daughter of Tom and Bernice Newton.

A graduate of Dominican High School and the University of Detroit, Beth began her career as an executive assistant with General Motors. Eager to move to New York, she soon transferred to Manhattan where fate intervened, and she took a job with Union Camp.  Shortly thereafter she met her debonair future husband, Jim, on a blind date. Married in Williamsburg, VA in 1968, their beautiful love story continued for the next 49 years.

There were so many things Beth did exceptionally well. First and foremost, a devoted wife and dedicated mother to five children, grandmother to six, she never met a baby she didn’t love. Beth could soothe crying infants in the blink of an eye. “Give that baby to me,” she would say, and within minutes all was well. She spoiled her grandchildren any chance she had. “No” was not a word “Gramma” ever said.

Beth excelled in the art of making a house a loving home. Delicious home cooked meals that warmed hearts and nourished souls were always on the menu at the Corrigan house. No invitation or recipe needed. We have many fond memories of precious time spent with her in the kitchen baking everything from cookies to her famous Strawberry Hazelnut Gateau. It wasn’t just for family as she loved to entertain and threw lavish parties for her many friends over the years. Beth was lots of fun.

Beth had an eye for color and was not afraid to use it. A fitting reflection of her personality and great sense of humor, a colorful, patterned wardrobe with bright shoes and fun jewelry to match completed her unique and classy look.  Her flair extended to decorating her inviting home, a mix of comfort and chic design, Beth was anything but understated.  Her garden rich with color always welcomed us home and seeing her flowers flourish brought her much joy over the years, especially her Desert Roses that bloomed the week she died.

An avid bridge player throughout her life, Beth enjoyed the many intricacies and challenges of the game, playing competitively over the years. Her greatest joy when playing was in the life-long friendships made around the table. She loved her friends well and will be dearly missed by so many.

A parishioner of St. Paul’s Catholic Church and later Our Lady Star of the Sea, her parents’ greatest gift to her was her Catholic faith which set the tone for her life and in turn, her children’s. You could see her faith in action daily. Her desire to serve was evident in the hours she spent volunteering for her church over many years, fostering babies from Guatemala through “Healing the Children” and her unwavering commitment to her family, teaching us the most important measure of success would be how we treat others. Beth was known to go out of her way to help people she would pass on the street, especially mothers in need of help. It is fitting her first name is Mary after the mother of her beloved church, born on her feast day as well. She lived a life of love, service and gratitude and considered her close-knit family to be her greatest accomplishment.

Love, faith, family, education, service, cooking, entertaining, bridge, sister, wife, mother, grandmother and friend, Beth excelled in all the meaningful, joyous things of life.

She is survived by her siblings, Joanne Newton (Ponte Vedra, FL), Nancy Zaleta (Walnut Creek, CA), and Lynn Koleski (Jacksonville Beach, FL) and brother Tom Newton (Ft. Myers, FL); her five loving children, Katie Corrigan, Meg Corrigan (Reb), Jim Corrigan, Jr. (Roxanne), Maura England (Brad) and Michael Corrigan; and six grandchildren, Bridget, Rose, Lily, Jimmy, Brady and Drew all of whom absolutely adored their “Gramma”.

One year apart was one year too many as she was predeceased by her husband of 49 years, Jim Corrigan in 2018, her sister Virginia M. Newton and parents, Tom and Bernice Newton.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 11:00 am, Thursday, October 24, 2019 in Our Lady Star of the Sea Catholic Church with Reverend William Kelly as Celebrant.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to www.Communityhospice.com specifically, the Community Hospice Anne & Donald McGraw Center for Caring.