Mary McDole’s Rich Legacy of Service

If one word could describe Mary McDole, it is faithful. Throughout her life she was devoted to her family, friends, church and Amos House. The long-time volunteer and donor passed away last year at the age of 82, but her rich legacy lives on.

After retiring from her job as a high school math teacher in 1985, Mary began to volunteer at Amos House with a friend who had read about our soup kitchen. For the next 20 years, she came to our dining hall at 6:30 a.m. every Monday to help prepare and serve the breakfast meal.

“She loved the people at Amos House. It was very much a part of her life,” recalled Gloria Del Papa, Mary’s best friend and a former volunteer. “She liked to serve and talk with the people, but she also worked hard.”

Amos House held a special place in Mary’s heart. Family and friends remember her annual holiday parties where she collected coffee, sugar and toiletry items to bring to Amos House. When shopping, she looked for sales on soap and shampoo, and bought them for our residents and guests. John Nelson, Amos House’s Executive Chef, said each holiday season Mary bought Whitman’s chocolates for the soup kitchen staff. “She was a very nice lady and she was always happy,” he shared. “She also knew just what to do when she worked on the serving line.”

“Mary was also very funny. She had a dry humor,” Gloria recalled. “She would come up with a good line and keep me in convulsions.”

At the same time, Mary was a person of faith. She was a life-long and active member of St. Teresa’s Parish, in Pawtucket. “I think her faith had a great impact on her life and the way she lived...She lived by the commandment of loving her neighbor,” said Father Joseph Paquette, St. Teresa’s Senior Pastor.

Mary demonstrated her commitment to supporting others in a variety of ways, from attending graduations of her family members to tutoring children and serving the poor. Along with volunteering at Amos House, she made financial contributions to our agency, including a generous bequest.

Lori O’Malley remembers her second cousin and “aunt” as a humble and caring woman who was the center of her family. “She did things in a quiet way. She wasn’t someone who wanted a lot of attention,” said Lori. “She was kind, outgoing and funny. She was someone you would want to be your friend.”