Mary Jane Pillsbury

Mary Jane Pillsbury, a lifelong resident of Pepperell, passed away on May 15, 2025. Born in Nashua, NH, on January 19, 1925, the daughter of Irving W. Pillsbury and M. Helena (Lillis) Pillsbury, Mary graduated from Pepperell High School and was employed by New England Telephone (later AT&T) for her entire working life.

Sharp as a tack, funny, stubborn, and always late for dinner, Mary enjoyed a good laugh, overly sweet cups of tea, adding more butter, going for ice cream, and her drives (she really loved her drives). She was wild about nature; she absolutely loved the weather, the moon, tending to her flowers, feeding the birds — anything outside, even just picking up sticks in the yard. She also had a soft spot for the underdog and was very generous to family, friends, and acquaintances whenever they needed anything. In that regard and others, she lived her Catholic faith.

“Mamie” to her family, she had a special flair for being an aunt, especially if you liked adventures, scary Halloween masks, illegal fireworks, and driving in the cemetery (or down 128!) before you had a license.

Until recently she was living on her own, keeping that big house clean, and driving herself around — things that seemed to surprise many, but to those who knew her, it made perfect sense. Mary was a fiercely independent and determined person who always danced to her own drum. She will be greatly missed.

Mary Jane leaves behind her nephews, Thomas Cleary and his wife, Andrea, and Michael Cleary and his partner, Bridget Finnegan; her grand nieces, Kristin Cartee and her partner, Laura Leone, Abigail Cartee, Madison Cleary, and Kelly Cleary; her grand nephew, Joseph Cleary; and her best friend and fiercest advocate, Annmarie Rockwell. She is also survived by her half-siblings Elaine Newsham, Martha Spaulding, Barbara Labadini, Nancy Reagan, John Pillsbury, and Irving Pillsbury.

She was predeceased by her sister, Betty Cleary; brother-in-law, Joseph Cleary; brother, Thomas Pillsbury; beloved nieces, Maureen and Kathleen Cleary; and half-siblings Bernadette Hills, Joyce Chapman, Denise Pillsbury, and David Pillsbury.

Services and burial will be private.