Veronica Theresa Maher

Veronica Theresa Maher, 77, of Middletown, Rhode Island, passed away unexpectedly on February 22, 2019 at Newport Hospital. Veronica was born in Queens, New York to Joseph Hart and Winifred (Durkin) Hart.

She was raised in Valley Stream, New York on Long Island. She attended Sacred Heart Academy in Hempstead, New York and received her Bachelors and Masters degrees from St. Johns University in Queens. She taught social studies at Memorial Junior High School in Valley Stream, NY for several years before moving to New England. After receiving a Master of Library Science from the University of Rhode Island, she spent 22 years as teacher and librarian in the Norton, Massachusetts school system, where she made many lifelong friends. Veronica later earned a certificate of advanced graduate study from Bridgewater State University and worked as the media services librarian at Roger Williams University for 22 years, retiring in 2013.

Veronica is survived by her daughter Kathleen Maher and her husband Roberto Aguirre of South Kingstown, RI, and her son Kevin Maher and his wife Heidi of Dallas, TX, as well as seven adoring grandchildren (Eamon, Norah, Seamus, Finnegan, Sean, Molly and Margaret), and her companion of 14 years Jeffrey Staats of Middletown.

She was preceded in death by her husband of thirty-five years, Edward Maher, her brother Peter Hart, her infant sister Diane Hart, and her parents.

Veronica raised her family with Edward in Attleboro, Massachusetts, where she resided for 41 years. She was a parishioner and lector at St. John the Evangelist Roman Catholic Church. An open-heart surgery (1995) and breast cancer (2007) survivor, she felt fortunate to enjoy the final fourteen years of her life to the fullest with Jeffrey in the Newport and Middletown communities as a member of the Newport Yacht Club, where they spent many summer days sailing with friends on Narragansett Bay. She was a parishioner of St. Marys Catholic Church and a member of the Ladies Auxiliary of the Ancient Order of Hibernians. Veronica will be fondly remembered by her family and friends for her good humor, her kindness, her love of family and friends, and her faith.

Calling hours will be held Thursday, February 28, 2019 from 4:00 PM to 7:00 PM at Memorial Funeral Home, 375 Broadway, Newport.

Funeral services will be held on Friday, March 1, 2019, with a Mass of Christian Burial at 11:30AM at St. Marys Catholic Church, Spring Street, Newport. A private burial will take place in St. John the Evangelist Churchyard in Attleboro, Massachusetts.

Memorial donations may be made to Mount Saint Michael Catholic School in Dallas, Texas http://bit.ly/DonateMountStMichael or the Childrens Heart Foundation, causes she supported in the interests of her grandchildren.