Mary Joan McNulty

Mary Joan McNulty of Stafford VA, 79, was born on November 21, 1941, in Washington D.C. She was the first child of Edward and Gladys Healey. She passed away on October 28, 2021 after a sudden illness. She is preceded in death by her husband, Donald McNulty, her brother, Eddie Healey and her parents. She is survived by her sister, Sheila Healey of Silver Spring, Maryland; her sister-in-law, Angela Healey of College Park, Maryland and her children: Maureen McNulty-Stephens (Andrew Stephens) of Annandale, Virginia, Shawn McNulty (Julie) and Brian McNulty (Traci) both of Stafford, Virginia. In addition, she is survived by her grandchildren: Elijah Millard (Vi), Aidan McNulty (Rachael), Tesia McNulty, Luke McNulty, Clare McNulty, Hannah McNulty, Mairin Mitchell (Peter), Landon Boyd, Kiernan McNulty, Meghan McNulty, Hunter Boyd, Faith McNulty, Maeve McNulty, Killian McNulty, EJ Healey, Tallulah McNulty and great grandchildren: Finnian, Éilis, Nancy, and Seamus. Mary Jo graduated from Sacred Heart Academy in Washington, DC. After graduating high school she worked for the CIA until shortly after her marriage to Don in 1960. After her children were all in school, she joined the staff at Minnieland Academy as a teacher of 3-year olds and later on as an assistant director. Throughout her adult life she maintained close contact with friends from childhood, friends from the Alexandria Police Department, as well as coworkers from Minnieland Academy. No one was a stranger and could become friends with the person behind her in the grocery store line. She was full of joy and had a genuine interest in the well-being of others. Mary Jo always placed her family at the top of her priority list. She adored her grandchildren and great-grandchildren. She looked forward to text messages with pictures and videos of them every day. She was a proud supporter and attended their sporting events, school plays and awards ceremonies. In her younger years, she could be seen racing her son down the field along the sidelines cheering him on to the end zone! She was everyone’s biggest supporter and president of their individual fan clubs. She ran “Nana’s preschool” for several of her grandchildren at home and taught them many skills including how to write their name. She was known for her creativity and talents. She could create toys and games from scraps and whatever was on hand. She was an artist in her own right. Mary Jo was a devout Catholic. She had a great love for our Lord and a special devotion to Our Lady. She prayed her rosary daily and especially enjoyed praying with her good friend Pat via facetime. She was a member of St. William of York parish and a faithful supporter of the pro-life group. If you were fortunate enough to meet or know Mary Jo, she offered kindness, love, positivity and always a smile. She lived her life as an example for others. Her impact on others, especially children will be felt forever. She was everyone’s Nana and will be missed greatly! Thank you to all of our amazing friends and family who have supported us through this difficult time. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Birthright or the Alzheimer’s Association.

Tributes

Mary Joan McNulty

October 28, 2021