The Life of Mary Moore
Mary Moore (nee Evanick), age 98, passed away peacefully on the morning of January 6, 2020 in her sleep at the Masonic Village of Lafayette Hill. A long-time resident of the Westbrook Park Section in Upper Darby, she was predeceased by her loving husband Kermit who passed in 2007. Mary’s children survive her: Kermit (Theresa) Moore Jr., Robert (Jane) Moore, Maryanne Moore, and Joseph Moore. Mary is also survived by five grandchildren: Aubrey, Christian, Rebecca, Jesse, and Nickolas. In addition she is survived by siblings Julie Grabrick, Helen Durkin, and Father Michael Evanick, as well as many nieces and nephews. She was predeceased by her sister Ann Lynch.
Mary was born November 16, 1921 and was the eldest child of her late parents Alex & Anna Evanick who immigrated to America from Austria in the early 20th century and settled in Heckscherville, PA. After graduating from Cass Township High School in 1940 Mary left home to take a position at the New Cumberland Army Depot in Fairview, PA, just outside of Harrisburg. By 1943 with World War II raging she wanted to contribute more to the war effort and in early 1944 moved to Philadelphia and joined the Army Nurse Cadet Corps., whose purpose was to alleviate the nursing shortage that existed during the war. Mary completed the 30 month training program at Saint Agnes Hospital in South Philadelphia and became a registered nurse. She worked as a nurse for several decades at Saint Agnes and the Naval Hospital of Philadelphia, as well as Fitzgerald Mercy and Tri-County Hospitals in Delaware County, PA (now called Mercy Fitzgerald and Metropolitan Hospitals respectively).
While working at Saint Agnes Hospital one of her patients was recovering from an injury sustained at the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard where he was an operating engineer. Kermit was recovering from minor surgery when Mary and Kermit met for the first time. They dated for a year, fell in love and on September 27, 1947 married, and stayed together for 60 years.
Mary and Kermit lived in Yeadon and Ridley Park before settling down in Westbrook Park in 1960 to raise their family. She was committed to her family and her Catholic faith through her entire life. She stressed to her children the importance of higher education and was fond of repeating the 1970’s popular slogan, “a mind is a terrible thing to waste.”
Mary was a 35 year cancer survivor who overcame adversity with love and the determination fitting of the “greatest generation.” Terms such as: I can’t, It’s difficult, I quit, did not exist in her vocabulary. Through all the trials and tribulations that visit every home Mary continued onward doing ordinary things in extraordinary ways. The Irish writer James Joyce expressed the sadness on the loss of one’s mother well saying; “the Lord knows what you go through when your mother dies, that’s why He only gives you one.” Our little piece of the world has lost a bright light, but she will shine on high forever.
The Mass of Christian burial at Holy Cross Church was private as was interment.