Obituary: Mary Elizabeth (Kouns) Papineau, Longtime Nurse

Obituary from Mackey Funeral Home.

Mary Elizabeth (Kouns) Papineau,83, of Peabody MA, (formerly a longtime resident of Saugus MA) passed away peacefully on the afternoon of Thursday, April 9th 2015, after a period of gradual decline, at the Rosewood Nursing and Rehabilitation Center in Peabody MA. She is survived by her devoted and caring husband of 59 years, Frank T. Papineau currently of Peabody MA.

She is also survived by her four children. Son Frank Papineau and His wife Patricia of Saugus MA, daughter Joan Voutour of Tilton New Hampshire, daughter Karen Gala of Danvers MA, and daughter Linda Coleman of Norton MA. She was also mother-in-law to Karen’s husband, the late Guy Gala of Danver MA.

Mary was also blessed with 9 beloved grandchildren: Emily, Jackie and Joseph(Karen) - Elizabeth, Molly and Andrew(Linda), and David, Tyler and Sarah(Joan) and one great-grandchild, Kenneth (Linda/Elizabeth). She is also survived by her brother, Richard A. Kouns of Jupiter FL.

Mary was born in 1931 at the height of the Great Depression and grew into a beautiful and accomplished young woman in Chelsea Mass.

A truly gifted singer, Mary was trained and mentored by some of the most respected vocal coaches in the Boston area and at one point considered a career as a singer. Mary’s voice was truly a gift from God. She diverted from this in her late teens to care for her ailing mother and comfort her through a protracted bout with breast cancer and subsequently raised her younger brother James (deceased), having also lost her father at an early age. This may have, in part, contributed to her decision to pursue nursing as a vocation. After training at Tewksbury State, she worked as a Nurse for nearly 40 years in such places as the Soldiers Home in Chelsea, Whidden Memorial Hospital in Everett and the Saugus General Hospital as well as several convalescent homes later in her career. These experiences and others surely helped to mold the qualities of compassion, strength and poise in the face of difficult times that made her a wonderful wife,mother,grandmother and caregiver.

Mary was at her best when things were tough. A larger-than-life personality with an infectious laugh and sense of humor, a great love of music, cooking, travel and her family, she will forever be a part of all who knew and loved her and will be forever in our hearts, thoughts and prayers.

There will be a wake for Mary at the Mackey Funeral Home in Middleton MA on Sunday, April 12th from 3-6 PM Funeral mass will be held on Monday April 13th at 10 Am at St. Adelaide Parish in Peabody