Mary (Kelly) Cowan

Pittsfield – Mary (Kelly) Cowan, age 90, passed away peacefully on Friday, March 9, 2018 at the Berkshire Medical Center. 

Mary was born in Pittsfield on May 26, 1927 a daughter of the late Martin and Margaret (Dowling) Kelly. She was a 1945 graduate of St. Joseph’s High School. Mary was one of a minority of women accepted into the University of Massachusetts at Amherst following the completion of WWII, where she proudly went on to earn her Baccalaureate Degree in Psychology, with an interest in Child Psychology, in 1949.

After graduation, Mary worked for a short time at the Institute of Living in Hartford, Connecticut. During that time she took a memorable vacation biking across Europe with friends. She then returned to Pittsfield and worked for 10 years as a draftsperson for General Electric where she met her husband. She then spent many years as a homemaker raising her five sons. A devout Catholic, Mary was a member of St. Mary’s Church until its closure when she joined St. Joseph’s Church. Mary loved spending time with her children and grandchildren. She enjoyed reading, especially mystery novels, and was a weekly visitor to the library. At home, she could frequently be found working on crossword puzzles or baking banana bread for her family. For over twenty years, Mary was an outpatient with the BMC Cardiac Rehab program where she went to exercise twice a week. 

Mary is survived by her beloved husband of 60 years, Mr. Richard Cowan. Richard and Mary were married on June 21, 1958 at the St. Mary’s Church of Pittsfield.

In addition to her husband, Mary is survived by her five sons, Paul Cowan and Donna Gouger of Dalton, Martin Cowan of Dalton, Stephen Cowan and Paula Piacenti of Pittsfield, Daniel and Cindy Danforth of Pittsfield, and David Cowan and Katie Brown of Plymouth. She also leaves five grandchildren: Noah, Sarah, Emily, Christopher, and Margaret, one great-grandson, Miles, and many nieces and nephews. 

Mary was predeceased by her three brothers, James, Martin, and Vincent Kelly. 

Services: Calling Hours for Mary will be TUESDAY, March 13thfrom 4-6PM at the DEVANNY-CONDRON FUNERAL HOME. The Celebration of Mary’s Life will continue WEDNESDAY from the Funeral Home beginning at 12:15PM followed by a Liturgy of Christian Burial at 1PM at St. Joseph’s Church with the Rev. Msgr. Michael A. Shershanovich, officiating. Burial will follow at Kinderhook Cemetery, Co. Rt. 21/Albany Ave. in Kinderhook, NY.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to St. Joseph’s Church, in care of the funeral home.