Mary Rose Crooker

It is with deep regret that we announce the passing of our beloved Mary Rose (Coffey) Crooker, on Monday May 12, 2014. She passed peacefully, at home, with her loving family by her side.

Mary dedicated her life to her family and to charitable work. She is known for giving others a hand up, not a hand out. Mary was an important member of the St. Josephs Hospital community, where she worked for 36 years. At their home in Nashua, Mary and her family provided foster care to more than seventy children.

In the year 2000, Mary was honored to receive the St. Marguerite d'Youville Humanitarian Award. The award recognizes individuals who exhibit the same spirit of loving service and unselfish giving as the founder of the Sisters of Charity of Montreal, Grey Nuns, in whose honor the award is presented.

Mary was a member of the Nashua West Rotary for 14 years, and during that time, she received several awards recognizing her hard work and dedication. Along with her many dear friends in the Nashua Rotary Club Hands to Honduras program, Mary made more than 20 service trips to Danli and surrounding areas, establishing clean water, medical care, educational programs, and friendships. In 2014, a school was built and named in her honor, in San Marcos Abajo. Over the years, she served with Girls Inc; Gray Nuns Thrift Shop, Corpus Christy Food Pantry, and The Covenant House.

Mary was born on April 21, 1939 and was raised in Brooklyn, New York. She moved to New Hampshire in 1960, where she and her husband raised their family. Mary is survived by her husband of 54 years, Donald C. Crooker; six children, Donald M. Crooker and wife Celeste of Francestown, Denise (Crooker) and Chris Worcester of Raymond, Sarah (Crooker) and Stephen Higaonna of Merrimack; James and Anne Crooker of Hudson, Kathleen (Crooker) and Tim Gilbert of Nashua and Patricia Crooker of Nashua; her beloved brother Daniel Coffey, and his wife Christine of Long Island, New York; her sister Theresa and her husband Robert Fornatale of Park Ridge, New Jersey; many grandchildren- Jeremy Worcester, Sarah(Worcester) Mayo, Daniel Worcester; Silas Lunetta, James Worcester, Evan Lunetta, Jacob Gilbert, Kenneth Hiagoanna, Joshua Gilbert, Alex Higaonna, Emily RoseHigaonna, Samuel Crooker and Rosemary Jo Crooker; and three Great Grandchildren, Ryan Worcester, Diante Perkins and Ellie Mayo.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the St. Joseph Hospital's St. Marguerite d'Youville Fund and Food Pantry, which has been dedicated by the hospital in Mary's honor.

There will be a memorial service and celebration of Mary's life on Friday June 6th, 11am, at the Immaculate Conception Parish, in Nashua, New Hampshire. All whose lives were touched by Mary are welcome to attend.