February 14, 1950 – April 9, 2024
Mary Patricia Faerber,74, of Middletown, RI died April 9, 2024 at home surrounded by her loving family after a lengthy illness. She was predeceased by her husband Peter J. Faerber, her husband of 33 years. She was the daughter of the late Austin F. Grady and Genevieve N. (Edmonds) of Valley Falls, RI.
Born in Valley Falls and raised in Providence, Mary attended St. Xavier and graduated from Hope High School in 1968.
Mary’s parents, Austin, and Genevive Grady owned and operated Austin’s Snack Shop on Smith Street in Providence where she worked alongside family as a teenager and young adult. While working at the shop, she also would meet her future husband, Peter, who was a regular customer. The shop was just blocks from Providence College and the family befriended many of the aspiring student athletes and coaches. Mary always remembered fondly regarding sharing meals with John Thompson (then a basketball player for the Friars, who would go on to play for the Celtics, as well as coach for Georgetown) when he couldn’t travel home during school breaks.
After getting married, Mary worked as a clerk at Peerless Department Store in Providence. Mary and Peter would move to Middletown after the birth of their first child, Jennifer, and would remain there until their passings.
During the 1980s and 1990s she worked at St Mary’s Church as a religious education teacher, coordinator, and principal. In 1995, Fr. George B. McCarthy recruited her to work as St Mary’s Church Parish Secretary, where she stayed for over 20 years, retiring in 2018.
Mary enjoyed art in its many forms and loved painting various landscapes of New England, which family and friends enjoyed as framed gifts and on cards.
Mary was famous for her baking skills, desserts, and dozens of varieties of Christmas cookies which were also favored annual gifts for family, close friends, and the local fire department. But her biggest love in life was for her family, and she will forever be remembered and missed for her faith, love, and generosity to others.
Mary is survived by her children, Jennifer, and Peter (Alison), grandson Broden, sister Maureen Shoren (Hank), and many beloved nieces and nephews.
In addition to her husband, Peter, Mary was predeceased by her sisters Jeanne M. Chadwick (Ed) of Foster, Margaret E. Reposa (Ernie) of Smithfield, and Genevieve A. Lavoie (Bob) of North Providence.
Visiting hours will be held Friday, April 12 from 4-7 pm at the O’Neill-Hayes Funeral Home, 465 Spring St, Newport. A Mass of Christian burial will be celebrated Saturday, April 13 at 10 am, St. Mary’s Church, corner of Spring St & Memorial Blvd, Newport. Burial will follow at St. Columba Cemetery, 465 Brown’s Ln, Middletown.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the St. Mary’s Church Building Fund, PO Box 547, Newport, RI 02840, www.stmarynewportri.org/How-to-Donate or to the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Community Center, 20 Dr. Marcus Wheatland Blvd, Newport, RI 02840, https://mlkccenter.org/donate/.
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