Mary Thelma Farren

Mary Thelma (Ferdinand) Farren (Mazie) 88 of Las Cruces, NM passed away peacefully on January 14, 2014 at Mesilla Valley Hospice in Las Cruces. She was born in Cambridge, MA to Anthony P. Ferdinand and Thelma (Lewis) Ferdinand on October 18, 1925. She attended Cambridge Public Schools, graduating from Cambridge High and Latin School in 1942. She loved spending summers with her family on Peddocks Island in Boston Harbor, on which the family lived in cottages built by her father, and people were transported by her father on his boat which served as a ferry for islanders and U.S. Army personnel stationed at Fort Andrews on the island. She and her extended family enjoyed riding on boats, swimming, and beachcombing. She also enjoyed riding horses with the soldiers from the fort and especially, General Gage's horse. She married the late Daniel J. Farren of Charlestown, MA on April 25, 1948 at Sacred Heart Church in Cambridge. They lived in Cambridge where Dan was a firefighter on the Cambridge Fire Dept. They raised a family together and Mazie became an advocate for mentally retarded citizens after the birth of their son, Joseph, who has Down syndrome. Joe became the center of the family's lives. Mazie worked with city officials and Massachusetts State Legislators to eventually enact laws providing educational programs for special needs children in all Massachusetts Public Schools. In the late 80s Dan and Mary relocated to Las Cruces, NM. Mary again advocated for retarded citizens with Dan's help were instrumental in establishing the LIFE ARC of Las Cruces, helped to establish El Caldito Soup Kitchen, and together volunteered many hours per week for many years for both of these organizations. Mary was a communicant of three of Las Cruces' Roman Catholic Churches: Holy Cross, St. Genevieve's and Immaculate Heart of Mary Cathedral. She was preceded in death by her husband, Dan on March 29, 2009, and is survived by her three sons: Daniel J. Farren Jr. and wife Marilyn P. Farren, Paul A. Farren, and Joseph (Tony) Farren, Brother Anthony P. Ferdinand Jr. (Juny), Sister Thelma Meranda (Sis), four grandchildren, Michael James Farren and Jennifer Lee Farren of Cape Cod, MA, Michelle Farren-Osso of Spokane, WA, and Katie Farrell of Springfield, NH, four great grandchildren, Azalea B. Farren, Juliana Farren, and Michael Z. Crowley of Cape Cod, MA, and Skylar Osso of Spokane, WA, many cousins, nieces, nephews, grand nieces and grand nephews. A funeral service is scheduled to take place at St. Genevieve's Catholic Church, 100 S. Espina St. Las Cruces, NM on Thursday, January 16, 2014 at 10:00AM. Celebration of Mary's life will be conducted at the Elks Lodge on Elks Drive following the church service. In lieu of flowers the family has requested that donations be made in Mary's name to El Caldito Soup Kitchen, 999 W. Amador, Las Cruces, NM 88005 . PDF Printable Version