Obituary of Mary Rita Geraghty
Mary Rita Schiavo Geraghty passed away Friday, April 3, after a rich life filled with faith, love and family. Born in Brooklyn, New York on December 15, 1931 to Emanuel (John) Schiavo and Mary Greenwood Schiavo, Mary was their youngest child and only daughter. Her beloved brothers John, Stephen, and Richard Schiavo have pre-deceased her.
A graduate of PS 89, Erasmus H.S., and Barnard College at Columbia University (class of 1953), Mary loved the city of New York. It was a love she passed on to her five children, eleven grandchildren. and was working on with her great grandchildren.
Mary, an ardent supporter of the Bronx Bombers, was partial to former team captain, Derek Jeter, much to the chagrin of her beloved husband Joe a Brooklyn Dodger fan who never got over “the Boys of Flatbush” absconding to LA.
Mary is survived by her loving husband of 62 years, Joseph Patrick Geraghty, who she met sixty-four summers ago in Riis Park; her daughters Mary Geraghty, Sue Geraghty Rubino, and Nancy Geraghty Anastasi; her sons Patrick and Joseph Geraghty; her daughters-in-law Shannon Matheny Geraghty and Inger Loftheim Geraghty and her sons-in-law Ben Rubino, and Gary Seri. Mary’s wonderful grandchildren include Joe and Deidra Geraghty, Bridie Rubino, Sean Geraghty, Danielle Rubino, Erin Geraghty, Briege Geraghty, Jamie Geraghty, Joe Anastasi, Nick Rubino, Kiera Geraghty,
and Jake Anastasi, all who affectionately referred to her as G-Ma.
She adored each and every grandchild reveling in their accomplishments and enjoying their quirky senses of humor. When the strains of Glenn Miller’s “In the Mood’ were in the air at family events, G-Ma and G-Pa were the first ones to hit the dance floor with stylish abandon. Cutting the rug became a Geraghty family tradition led by G-Ma and G-Pa.
FaceTime calls, videos, and photos of great grandchildren Mackenzie and Clark Geraghty and Benjamin Cobuzzi provided her with sheer joy.
As a New York Times crossword puzzle aficionado and a lover of all things Jeopardy, Mary encouraged her family to be lifelong learners who appreciated the mysteries and adventures of life. Her quiet, inner peace, generosity of spirit, and joie de vivre made her an example for all of us.
We were indeed blessed to have her in our lives.
In lieu of flowers donations can be made to St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital, the American Lung Association, or Dystonia Medical Research Foundation.
Out of respect and concern for public health and safety, funeral services and interment are to be held privately at the convenience of the family. A Celebration of Life will be arranged at a future date.
To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Mary Geraghty, please visit Tribute Store
