1929
Madelyn
2021
Madelyn Mary (Finn) Carney
November 8, 1929 — January 11, 2021
CARNEY, Madelyn M. (Finn). Of Boston, died Jan. 11, 2021.
Born in November 1929, Madelyn graduated from Mission High School, attended Boston College Intown School, and earned her Bachelor of Science Degree in Art Education at Massachusetts College of Art. In Ware, MA, Madelyn designed and taught the art curriculum for the town, enriching the lives of her students.
In 1953, Madelyn married her true love, Atty. John J. Carney, with whom she raised nine children. She resided in Savin Hill for more than 60 years. With her love of literature and conversation, she easily made people feel at home. Unafraid of hard work, she was active in her community, and tirelessly strove to promote affordable housing. Later, a lodging house Madelyn ran became home to the Missionaries of Charity. Their founder, Mother Teresa, would stay there or in Baltimore, MD, when visiting the United States. Another home became refuge to Caritas Communities, dedicated to preventing homelessness. Madelyn also served for years as treasurer for the MassArt Alumni Association, and proudly served on Boston College's Institutional Review Board. At the Boston College ILR, she taught Irish History, and enkindled a passion for writing, later publishing a memoir entitled Hills and Harbors.
Madelyn was in tune with nature. Although a "city kid," she loved the outdoors, eventually finding a second home amid Provincetown's art community, where she tended to her beautiful seaside garden. Over 40 years, Madelyn painted there, recording the changing and vast skies of that outermost reach of Cape Cod. She had unwavering religious faith, and encompassing all she approached was her artistic vision, her trained hand, and a genius for capturing sublime light. Having expanded all our horizons, Madelyn has now come into her own.
Survivors include children Bernard and Mary Kickham Carney, Eileen, Maureen, Kathleen and Donald Thibeault, Claire and John Griffin, Janine, Joanne, Mary and partner Mitch Jones, and Elisabeth. Grandchildren include Andrea, John, Grace and Robert Carney; Andrew, John and Madeline Thibeault; Maryclare Griffin and Ted Westling and Norah Griffin; Alana and Miren Parkinson; William Volya and Elena Madelyn Pavlenkov; Zachary Fox, and Connor, Duncan and Piers Echols-Jones. She is also survived by several beloved cousins and sisters-in-law, and many loving nieces, nephews and friends, dearest among whom are James Wagner and Prashant Shankar, MD. She was predeceased by her husband, John, her parents, Thomas and Mary Keeley Finn, brothers Thomas Paul and William P. Finn, sister Barbara MacDonald, and son-in-law Paul Hansen.
In lieu of flowers, expressions of sympathy may be made to Pioneer Valley Symphony (pvsoc.org); or to Dot Art, c/o Walter Baker Artist Lofts, 1231 Adams St., Dorchester, MA 02124 (dotart.org); or to Village In Focus, Inc., for Maria Assumpta School, Bbanda, Uganda (villageinfocus.org) c/o Barney Carney, 231 Savin Hill Ave., Dorchester MA 02125.
Funeral services were private, but you are welcome to view her Funeral Service using the following link: https://youtu.be/QBIMxZKMdJI.
Born in November 1929, Madelyn graduated from Mission High School, attended Boston College Intown School, and earned her Bachelor of Science Degree in Art Education at Massachusetts College of Art. In Ware, MA, Madelyn designed and taught the art curriculum for the town, enriching the lives of her students.
In 1953, Madelyn married her true love, Atty. John J. Carney, with whom she raised nine children. She resided in Savin Hill for more than 60 years. With her love of literature and conversation, she easily made people feel at home. Unafraid of hard work, she was active in her community, and tirelessly strove to promote affordable housing. Later, a lodging house Madelyn ran became home to the Missionaries of Charity. Their founder, Mother Teresa, would stay there or in Baltimore, MD, when visiting the United States. Another home became refuge to Caritas Communities, dedicated to preventing homelessness. Madelyn also served for years as treasurer for the MassArt Alumni Association, and proudly served on Boston College's Institutional Review Board. At the Boston College ILR, she taught Irish History, and enkindled a passion for writing, later publishing a memoir entitled Hills and Harbors.
Madelyn was in tune with nature. Although a "city kid," she loved the outdoors, eventually finding a second home amid Provincetown's art community, where she tended to her beautiful seaside garden. Over 40 years, Madelyn painted there, recording the changing and vast skies of that outermost reach of Cape Cod. She had unwavering religious faith, and encompassing all she approached was her artistic vision, her trained hand, and a genius for capturing sublime light. Having expanded all our horizons, Madelyn has now come into her own.
Survivors include children Bernard and Mary Kickham Carney, Eileen, Maureen, Kathleen and Donald Thibeault, Claire and John Griffin, Janine, Joanne, Mary and partner Mitch Jones, and Elisabeth. Grandchildren include Andrea, John, Grace and Robert Carney; Andrew, John and Madeline Thibeault; Maryclare Griffin and Ted Westling and Norah Griffin; Alana and Miren Parkinson; William Volya and Elena Madelyn Pavlenkov; Zachary Fox, and Connor, Duncan and Piers Echols-Jones. She is also survived by several beloved cousins and sisters-in-law, and many loving nieces, nephews and friends, dearest among whom are James Wagner and Prashant Shankar, MD. She was predeceased by her husband, John, her parents, Thomas and Mary Keeley Finn, brothers Thomas Paul and William P. Finn, sister Barbara MacDonald, and son-in-law Paul Hansen.
In lieu of flowers, expressions of sympathy may be made to Pioneer Valley Symphony (pvsoc.org); or to Dot Art, c/o Walter Baker Artist Lofts, 1231 Adams St., Dorchester, MA 02124 (dotart.org); or to Village In Focus, Inc., for Maria Assumpta School, Bbanda, Uganda (villageinfocus.org) c/o Barney Carney, 231 Savin Hill Ave., Dorchester MA 02125.
Funeral services were private, but you are welcome to view her Funeral Service using the following link: https://youtu.be/QBIMxZKMdJI.
To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Madelyn Mary (Finn) Carney, please visit our flower store.
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