Mary T Barker

Mary Theresa Barker October 28th, 1924 - September 3rd, 2023 Mary Theresa Barker, Nana to all who knew her, passed away peacefully in her sleep on Sunday, September 3rd into the arms of the Lord and her late partner in life Pat Harris. She was surrounded by her loving family in her last weeks here on earth and lived an incredible and special life of 98 years, almost reaching her 99th birthday in October. Born Mary Theresa Kelliher in Tralee, County Kerry, Ireland, one of her household chores was collecting and drying peat for the heating and cooking fire of the house. When she was just 24 years old, she took a boat to America to work as a housemaid at a grand estate on Peacock Point in New York. There she married Carl F. Barker and had her son Frederick Timothy Barker. She used to tell the story of how when she first arrived, she had never seen a vacuum cleaner and didnt know how to turn it on, but being too proud to admit it, she simply told her superior that the vacuum wasnt like the ones back home and it wasnt working, then feigned surprise when her superior plugged it in and it roared to life. She went from never having used an electric vacuum to FaceTiming family on an iPhone over her long life. Eventually times changed and the grand old estates began to disappear, and life took Nana on a different path. She moved to Buffalo, New York and fell in love with Pat "Gaga" Harris and became a stepmother to the six Harris children, who she loved as her own. Nana worked at the Women and Childrens Hospital of Buffalo and was a regular parishioner at St. Michael Church in Buffalo and Our Lady of Grace in Hatfield, Mass., where she spent summers with her son and his family. Her faith was unwavering and steadfast through all of lifes ups and downs. She shared her faith and love with all she met and never failed to crack jokes, make people laugh, and refuse to let anyone leave the table without a full belly. She rarely missed out on events or activities and would say "yes" to anything she could. She welcomed any and all to her home, always had Irish music playing, and no one ever left a stranger. She goes to meet her parents John and Bridget Kelliher, siblings Mickey, Pat, Tim, Tom, and Bridie, partner in life Pat Harris, her niece Eileen OFlaherty and stepson Anthony Harris in Heaven. She leaves behind here on Earth her son Tim and his wife Nancy, her grandson Brendan and wife Madison, her great grandson Maclin, her granddaughter Emiko and husband Anthony, her stepchildren Patricia and husband Marty, Martina and husband Mike, Jean, Joan, and Patrick J., her step-grandchildren Brian and wife Sarah, and their children Claire and Jack, Joseph and wife Kristyn, and their children Sophia and Charlotte, Paul and his wife Jessica and their children Caelin, Ella, and Conor, Kevin, Brett and wife Natalie, Eric, and Cody, and in Ireland, sister-in-law Noreen, and beloved nieces and nephews John P., Carmel, Morgan "Sonny", Breda, and Francis. She will be dearly missed, always loved, and here with her loved ones in spirit forevermore. Viewing hours will be held at Lombardos Funeral Home, 102 Linwood Ave, Buffalo, NY, from 3pm - 7pm on Monday, September 11th. Funeral services will take place at Saint Michael Church, 651 Washington Street, Buffalo, NY, at 9:30am on Tuesday, September 12th. Following the service, burial services will be held at Elmlawn Memorial Park Cemetery, 3939 Delaware Ave, Kenmore, NY. Flowers may be sent to Lombardos Funeral Home. Services Cemetery Elmlawn Cemetery Tonawanda, NY