Donate in Memory of Maryellen Riley

Obituary: Maryellen Riley

Published in The Boston Globe January 4, 2015

RILEY, Maryellen Age 59, died peacefully on Jan. 2, 2015 after a 2.5 year battle with ALS. She spent her final moments surrounded in love. She leaves behind her husband Bill Zemaitis of 35.5 years, three boys, Michael, Brian, and Kevin Zemaitis all of Braintree, her brother Dan Riley and his wife Jean of Plymouth, niece and nephew Julia and Daniel, as well as her nieces Sandra and Elizabeth and nephew Tony and countless cousins, friends, and co-workers.

Maryellen grew up in Roslindale and spent her summers sailing and water skiing in Humarock, and taking horse riding lessons at Briggs Stable in Hanover, MA. After a Catholic school upbringing by the sisters of St. Claires, she attended Suffolk University where she and Bill Zemaitis fell in love and were married on July 1, 1979. Maryellen was sure her boys received a Catholic education and she was heavily involved in the Mother’s Guild while her children attended Boston College High School. Depending on what year you ran into her, she could have been a banker, consultant, fulltime mother, part of Mary Kay Cosmetics, or a realtor at Century 21 Annex. She will be sadly missed by all those who were forunate to know her.

Relatives and friends are respectfully invited to attend the visiting hours on Monday 3-8 PM in the Keohane Funeral Home, 785 Hancock St., QUINCY. A Celebration of Life Service will be held in the funeral home at 9am on Tuesday prior to the Funeral Mass in Sacred Heart Church, Weymouth Landing at 10 AM. Burial in Blue Hill Cemetery, Braintree.

In lieu of flowers donations in memory of Maryellen may be made to Compassionate Care ALS, 752 West Falmouth Highway, Falmouth, MA 02540 www.ccals.org. See www.Keohane.com or call 1-800-Keohane for directions and online condolences.