Mary Martin

HAMPTON, NH – Mary A. (Brennan) Martin came to the end of her life’s journey on Thursday, April 6, 2023. She was the daughter of Thomas and Catherine (Walsh) Brennan, both of County Mayo, Ireland. She was born in New York City on August 29, 1929. After her father’s accidental death in December 1929, Mary moved to Manchester, NH with her mother. After losing her mother a few years later, she and her brother were raised by her stepfather, Patrick Bresnahan, and close relatives. She was a graduate of St. Joseph’s High School for Girls in 1947. Mary married her husband, James J. Martin who preceded her in death in 1980 after 32 years of marriage. She and her husband raised five children. She was also preceded in death by two of her children, James J. Martin Jr. of Manchester NH, and Maura Martin Wheeler, of Epsom, NH as well as her brother Rev. Thomas Bresnahan of Londonderry, NH. Mary is survived by her three daughters: Brenda and her husband, Dan Riley of Houston TX, Trisha and her husband, Ron Plante of Hampton NH, and Shauna and her husband, Joe Sarette of Merrimac MA. Mary loved her ten grandchildren: Marty and T Riley, Genevieve (Martin) Hoffmann and James J. Martin III, Katy and Marty Plante, Jacky Sarette, Nathan, Patrick, and Joseph Wheeler, as well as eight great-grandchildren. Mary took great pride in never forgetting a family birthday or anniversary. As she was the first generation born in the United States, Mary traveled to Ireland many times in her lifetime and took great pleasure in researching her Irish ancestry. She was able to trace her Irish ancestry back to Grace O’Malley, the County Mayo Pirate Queen. With her strong religious faith, Mary was a devout Catholic and served as parish secretary at St. Michael’s Parish in Exeter, NH for over ten years. She was also a lector at Our Lady of Miraculous Medal Parish and a member of the former Catholic Women’s Club of Hampton, NH. Mary traveled extensively during her lifetime, and she wintered many years with her brother, Fr. Tom, in Vero Beach, FL. Mary loved her family and her many friends dearly and was always surrounded by them, which is where she felt most comfortable and loved. She leaves nothing behind but beautiful memories and will be greatly missed by her family and friends. Ise Matriarch Marbh. The family would like to express their gratitude and appreciation to the nurses, doctors, and staff at Rockingham County Nursing Center in Brentwood, NH for all their care and support over the last several months. There will be no calling hours. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 11:00 AM on Thursday, April 13, 2023, at Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal, 289 Lafayette Rd., Hampton, NH. Interment will follow at St. Joseph’s Cemetery in Bedford, NH. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in her memory to the Manchester Firefighters Relief Association. Please click on the link below to watch the livestream of the Mass at Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal. https://olmmparish.org/home/live-streaming/

Mary Martin

August 29, 1929 - April 6, 2023