Mary Ann Mahan

Mary Ann Mahan, of South Norwalk, Connecticut, died on September 19, 2022 after a brief illness. She was predeceased by her parents, John and Evelyn Mahan, and her brother Kevin Mahan. She is survived by her partner Saithong Ballapanavich (Lek), her brother Kieran (Blair) of Medford, NJ, sister Carmel of Odenton MD, and brothers Brian (Martha) of Simpsonville, SC, and Sean (Becky) of Hampton, Virginia, her sister-in-law Leigh Mahan of Hamilton, Ontario and nine nieces and nephews and seven great nieces and nephews. She grew up in Stamford on Shippan Point where childhood was a wonderful combination of big families with lots of children to play with, and spending time at the wonderful Shippan beaches. Mary Ann was incredibly bright, determined and focused as a child. Her intellect was impressive to her fellow siblings, and she served as an inspiration. She graduated from St. Mary’s elementary school in Stamford and Laurelton Hall in Milford, CT. She attended Manhattanville College and graduated from the University of Denver. She received her Master’s degree from Bowling Green State University and a second Masters, in counselling, form the University of Bridgeport. Mary Ann met Lek at Bowling Green State University where they were both studying. Lek remembers Mary Ann for her kindness, generosity, her desire to put others first and her devotion to her family, particularly caring for her parents. Her intelligence was apparent to all she met at Bowling Green and her ability to be a good listener helped her to win friends easily. Lek thought of Mary Ann as an Irish angel. She followed her father and Uncle (Thomas Riley) as Stamford teachers. She enjoyed a career of 34 years as an art teacher expanding children’s ideas of what art could be. Students benefitted from her passion for both teaching and art. Most of her career was spent at Rogers School where she enjoyed her colleagues and students. When she retired, the students dedicated a mosaic of her saying: “Many experiences were poured out by Ms. Mahan in the art room over the years and will remain saved in our minds, as memories of a different world…..the world of our imaginations.” She was very active in the recovery movement and sponsored many individuals over many years. It was her dedication to helping people recover, an ability to connect with people, and a motivation to care for others that made her an inspiration to so many people. It would be hard to overstate how important the recovery movement was to her life. She found tremendous meaning in listening to others and helping where she could. Her kindness and understanding were an example for all. She helped hundreds of people for whom she was popular, respected, wise, deferred to, admired and most of all, loved. Mary Ann was known for an adventurous spirit and for travelling the world. She travelled alone or with others, to place near, far, and exotic. Bhutan, India, Thailand, most of Europe (of course Ireland), Machu Pichu in Peru, Chile, China, South Africa, Laos, Vietnam, Cambodia, Russia, Japan, Egypt, Morocco, Israel, Honduras, Greece, Austria, and Italy were just some of the many places she experienced. Mary Ann appreciated other cultures and was humble enough to always allow her heart to be open to what she could learn from the people and places she met in her travels. Despite all her exotic travels, she also always kept her interest in her ancestral Irish literature and culture. She had a penchant for recommending a new Irish author or a play at the Irish Repertory Theater. Among her many other passions, top on the list was UConn Women’s Basketball. She attended many games, including playoff games, and watched every game that she could. She was also a talented writer and had a wry sense of humor. As her family expanded with nieces and nephews her ability to know something about almost everything made her the most popular teammate for a legendary game of Trivial Pursuit at family gatherings. In Monopoly, she was a feared opponent to her sibs who knew she would never give in unless she had no choice. Mary Ann was the glue of the family. She took the responsibility for caring for her aging parents, as she had seen them do for their parents. After they died, she was the one to tend the graves, arrange for Masses and network with her sibs. Her legacy lies in those values of family loyalty, kindness, and devotion to helping others. Family will receive relatives and friends on Friday, September 30th from 4pm to 8pm at the Bosak Funeral Home, 453 Shippan Avenue, in Stamford. A Mass of Christian burial will be celebrated at 10 am on Saturday, October 1st at Our Lady Star of the Sea, 1200 Shippan Avenue in Stamford, CT. Her interment will be private. At her request, in lieu of flowers, friends may make contributions to: www.womenforwomen.org which invests in women survivors of war and conflict or www.americares.org which saves lives and improves health for people affected by poverty or disaster. If you wish to make an online remembrance for the family online, you may sign the family guestbook at www.bosakfuneralhome.com or www.facebook.com/bosakfuneralhome.

Mary Ann Mahan

September 4, 1948 - September 21, 2022