Julia Keane

Julia Keane- of Woburn, Friday, September 1st. Loving mother of Rita McBride and her husband Kevin of Woburn. Cherished grandmother of Shannon, Colleen, and Matthew McBride. Loving and dear friend of Ann Bradley, Rosemarie O’Connor, and the late Mary Hamilton. A Funeral will be held from the Lynch-Cantillon Funeral Home, 263 Main Street, Woburn, Thursday, September 7th, at 9 a.m. followed by a Funeral Mass in St. Charles Church, 280 Main Street, Woburn, at 10:00 a.m. Interment in Oak Grove Cemetery, Medford. Relatives and friends are invited to call, Wednesday evening, September 6th, 4:00 – 7:00 p.m. Remembrances may be made in Julia’s honor to St. Charles Church, 280 Main Street, Woburn, MA 01801, or Little Sisters of the Poor, 186 Highland Avenue, Somerville, MA 02143.

OBITUARY:

Julia Keane passed away at her home September 1st, after a lingering illness. The loving, devoted mother of Rita (Keane) McBride, she was eighty-eight years of age.

Born in Galway Ireland, Julia was raised and educated there and moved to America in her early twenties. Upon her arrival to Boston, Julia secured herself a position as a live in Nanny and Housekeeper for a family in Brookline where she remained for a good number of years. This was an opportunity to spend summers on Martha’s Vineyard and Fenwick as well as travel to New York City.

Through some friends she had met along the way, Julia was further introduced to the “Doherty Clan,” here in Woburn.

Julia was welcomed into the Medford family home with love, support and kindness, which has truly blossomed into a real bond between Julia and the Doherty and Bradley family. For over the next sixty years, they all became one loving family. The Doherty sisters, Anna, Mary, Rosemarie, their husbands and Julia with their extended families became inseparable.

Julia was blessed with her beloved daughter Rita, to whom she has been devoted. Julia worked hard all her life, all the while remaining an intricate part of the all the Doherty family activities. Thirty-three years ago they moved to North Woburn where they have remained. Holidays, birthdays, vacations, family gatherings and get togethers kept them all very busy. From the kickball and baseball games in the backyard with all the nieces, nephews and cousins to building sandcastles together at Hampton Beach while on vacation, Julia was always organizing activities for them all.

As her family grew, wonderful grandchildren were brought into the world and Julia was now “Nana” and “Nana Julia”. So very proud of them all, she was invested in all the happenings in their lives. From the Irish Step dancing to hockey rinks all across New England, Nana was there! High School graduations, college graduations and all academic and social events, Nana was proudly in attendance for it all.

A very sweet, kind, compassionate woman, Julia was an inspiration to her family and to those whom she was acquainted. A very devout and faith-filled Irish woman, she lived her life doing for others in always a very kind, loving and gentle way.

Julia is lovingly survived by her daughter Rita McBride and her husband Kevin of Woburn. Cherished Nana of Shannon, Colleen, and Matthew McBride and “Nana Julia” to Kaleigh and Patrick Bradley. Loving and dear friend of Ann Bradley, Rosemarie O’Connor and the late Mary Hamilton. A Funeral will be held from the Lynch-Cantillon Funeral Home, 263 Main Street, Woburn, Thursday, September 7th, at 9 a.m. followed by a Funeral Mass in St. Charles Church, 280 Main Street, Woburn, at 10:00 a.m. Interment in Oak Grove Cemetery, Medford. Relatives and friends are invited to call, Wednesday evening, September 6th, 4:00 – 7:00 p.m. Remembrances may be made in Julia’s honor to St. Charles Church, 280 Main Street, Woburn, MA 01801, or Little Sisters of the Poor, 186 Highland Avenue, Somerville, MA 02143.