Mary F. (Gillick) Donnell

BOXFORD – Mrs. Mary F. (Gillick) Donnell, 92, of Boxford, beloved wife of the late Robert Frederick Donnell, died peacefully on June 13th, 2026, at Beverly Hospital surrounded by her family.

Born in Elizabeth, New Jersey, she was the daughter of the late James J. Jr. and Ann Elizabeth Hutchinson Gillick. She was raised and educated in Elizabeth and was a 1951 graduate of St. Mary of the Assumption High School.

A talented athlete in her youth, Mary was a forward on the girls’ basketball team, proudly leading her team to a city championship in her senior year. She went on to further her education at Boston University, earning her bachelor’s degree in education and completed her student teaching at Lynn English High School.

A dedicated educator, Mrs. Donnell spent 16 years living overseas with her family as active members of the SADAF and ARAMCO communities in Al Jubail and Dhahran, Saudi Arabia. During this time, she shared her love of helping children learn by teaching kindergarten at an elementary school in Al Jubail.

Mary enjoyed traveling with her friends and family and visited numerous countries including Kenya, Thailand, Hong Kong, UAE, Bahrain, Egypt, Israel, England, France, Germany, Italy, and many others. Mary’s heart, however, always belonged to Boxford. She was a resident of the town from 1970 to 1984 and returned immediately upon her homecoming from Saudi Arabia in 1999, remaining a fixture of the community until her passing.

Family and faith were the pillars of Mary’s life. An active and devoted communicant of St. Rose of Lima Parish in Topsfield, she gave generously of her time and talents. Over the years, she served her parish as an altar server, a Eucharistic Minister, a member of the St. Rose Choir, and the St. Rose Prayer Group, while also assisting with the weekly collection.

Mary was equally engaged in her civic community, serving as a Girl Scout and Brownie leader when her children were young and a classroom volunteer at Harry Lee Cole School. In her leisure time, she delighted in the camaraderie of her card-playing group, never turning down a good game of bingo, mahjong or canasta. More than anything else, she was a loving and devoted wife, mother, and grandmother whose warmth, sense of humor, faith, and dedication to her family will be deeply missed.

Mary is survived by her daughter, Tracy M. Rocha and her husband, Andrew of Greer, SC; her sons, Richard Donnell and his wife, Christina of Winston-Salem, NC; and Rob Donnell and his wife, Tara of Boxford; her grandchildren, Jack, Carson, Matt, and Robert Donnell; Abigail and her husband Marco Huanca Rocha, Rebekah Kirkland and her husband Brock, and Deborah and Elizabeth Rocha; many nieces and nephews. She was predeceased by her husband and her 13 siblings.

ARRANGEMENTS: Her funeral Mass will be held at St. Rose of Lima Parish, Park St., Topsfield, at 10:30 am. Relatives and friends are invited. Burial in Village Cemetery, Boxford. Assisting the family with the arrangements is O’Donnell Cremations – Funerals – Celebrations 167 Maple St., (rte. 62) DANVERS. In lieu of flowers, expressions of sympathy may be made in Mary’s memory to St. Rose of Lima Parish, 17 Prospect St., Topsfield, MA 01983. To share a memory or offer a condolence, please visit www.odonnellfuneralservice.com