By Kevin Devlin

     "She was definitely old school, and the embodiment of what Southie stands for, community, family, and God."

     On Wednesday, December 7, Mary Norton O'Donnell was laid to rest with her husband, Bernie. Mary was, in body and mind, the personification of South Boston, and being her son-in-law, I think it is an unbiased opinion.

      Mary lived her entire life in South Boston, and from the first day I met her, I knew she was a feisty old gal. As a young girl, she sustained a leg injury when she was hit by a car outside her house.   After that, she walked with a limp for the rest of her life.

     When she was 24, she was diagnosed with melanoma and told she had only months to live. Her future husband was asked by a priest not to marry her because of this, but their love was too strong, so they went forward with the marriage.   She survived the life-threatening disease to live for many years after that.

     But then, in 1995, at the age of 69, another serious challenge surfaced, as she suffered a stroke. Her son and daughter, Bernie and Mary, were forced to place her in a nursing home, where she struggled and fought for her life for the next ten years. As a matter of fact, over three years ago, Marion Manor nurses told Mary's son and daughter that she only had days to live, but she fought on until now. Indeed, she was a strong-willed woman.

     As I briefly drove around Castle Island after Mary's funeral, it suddenly struck me what a wonderful woman she truly was. Her trademark was that of a woman of conviction, ready and willing to step into an affray to state and defend her viewpoint. She was on the L Street Bath House Advisory Board for many years, and fought against the installation of a high school at that site, as well as many other matters that affected the future of the bathhouse. Mary loved the bathhouse, the beach and the sun.  Through the years, she brought her children and then her grandchildren down there every chance she got.

     Mary was also quite religious. She went to Mass at Arch Street every weekday and lit candles. She went to Mass at Saint Peter and Paul's Church, formerly on Broadway, on Saturdays, and said the Rosary every single night without fail.

     After going to Mass in town, she would head right towards Filene's Basement. She was a fixture there, one of the best bargain hunters ever, always looking for a bargain for her children, grandchildren, as well as for herself. She would constantly tell her son and daughter to "dare to be different" when buying clothes.

     Mary was always dressed smartly, from head to toe, when she journeyed into town or up Broadway to shop around. I was talking to a neighbor after the funeral, and like so many other people in Southie who knew Mary, he mentioned that she was such a dapper dresser and was always walking around, Broadway or Castle Island, trying to keep fit and occupied.

     "She was always so impeccably dressed," the neighbor said. "And she was always walking, so busy and active every day."

      Mary loved the holidays, but Saint Patrick's Day was certainly her favorite. She would listen to the Irish music radio channel before tuning into Billy Bulger's famous breakfast roast. Then she would walk up to the parade route. I can still picture her standing on Broadway, with her white Irish knit sweater and green Angora hat. She was always clapping her hands as the bands marched by and waving to the local politicians. With her involvement down at the beach, Mary knew every single politician, and every one, upon seeing her, would rush over to her to give her a big kiss and a hug. On this day, for so many years, Mary proudly glowed brilliantly like the sun on a hot, summer day.

      She fought and was involved in local matters because she loved Southie. She was a feisty woman who said what was on her mind and never (as they say) minced her words. She was definitely old school and the embodiment of what Southie stands for, community, family, and God.

      She has now been reunited with her husband in Heaven.

      And may she rest in peace now that the good fight has been fought so bravely by her.