Mary Teresa Maguire May 18, 1925 - June 18, 2014. 89. Born of John Thomas Maguire and Mary Harriet Maguire nee O''Keefe in Sioux City, Iowa. Daughter, sister and beloved aunt, Mary was reunited with her family that preceded her in death: Her Father and Mother, Brothers John (Jack) Robert, William (Bill) Joseph, Francis Patrick, Donald (Don) Eugene, Richard Edward and James Terence (Terry), as well as her niece Susan and nephew Michael. Most especially she has joined in the Kingdom of Heaven with her lifelong friend Arthurene Fowler. She is survived by her sisters-in-law, Mary E. Maguire of Memphis and Joyce Maguire of Charlotte, NC along with her 12 nieces and nephews, 16 grand-nieces and nephews and one great-grandnephew, as well as countless friends and adopted extended family members from Texas to North Carolina. Mary was the only daughter, born exactly in the middle of 6 brothers. The family moved from the Midwest to Memphis in the 1930''s living on Whitten Rd. For almost all of the Maguire family, Memphis became their permanent home. Mary''s prayers for a sister were answered when her friend Arthurene Fowler was informally adopted by the Maguire family in 1960. Mary and Arthurene became an inseparable pair. Their friendship was fully based and grounded by their mutual unwavering faith in their church. As communicants at Holy Rosary for over the last 50 years, they both devoted their time to the Legion of Mary. As a long standing member of that group Mary was recognized with the Rosarian Award in 1998. She was a proud employee of United States Steel and worked her career up to the level of Executive Secretary for the local USS representative. After retiring she spent her second career in administration at Kraft Foods where she worked for many years. Mary and Arthurene loved to travel, joining many of the Vol-Ti Group on their yearly bus excursions to Knoxville for football, Hot Springs, St. Louis and South Bend, IN. Another longstanding yearly vacation destination was in the Outer Banks, NC with her brother Richard and his family. Mary was the favorite and beloved aunt of the whole family and despite not having children of her own, she had her nieces and nephews to fill those roles. Her home was always the hub for family celebrations and holidays. She will be truly missed by all her family and friends. The world is a little less cheerful in her absence. Visitation will be Sunday, June 22 from 1-3 p.m. with a Rosary service beginning at 3 p.m. at Forest Hill East Funeral Home. Funeral mass will be at 2 p.m. Monday, June 23 at Holy Rosary Catholic Church. Interment will be at Forest Hill East Cemetery.

Forest Hill East Funeral Home 901-382-1000

Published in The Commercial Appeal on June 22, 2014