Mary Connell Briggs, 76, of North Berwick, Maine passed away peacefully on July 19, 2022, after a lengthy illness. She was born in Camden in 1945, from a Maine native mother, Marie Young Connell and a Boston native William B. Connell. She was preceded in death by her loving husband of 56 years, Brian J. Briggs. They resided between Minnesota and summers in their native Maine, spending winters later in life in West Palm Beach, Florida.
After graduating Camden High School, she attended University of Connecticut where she met and married her college sweetheart, Brian Jeffrey Briggs. She pursued an advanced degree at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater leading to her career as a high school English teacher for more than 30 years. While raising her daughter, Beth, she attended many dance recitals, high school sports, and parades where her daughter performed. While briefly living in California, Mary enjoyed traveling the state parks, the San Francisco area, and the San Diego Zoo.
Mary and her family starting spending summers after 1970 in Ogunquit, Maine and enjoyed time with friends and family at the beach along with special family dinners. Brian and Mary spent more than 15 years in West Palm Beach surrounded by many new treasured friends, playing tennis, mahjong, dancing and dining.
Mary will be missed by her daughter, BethMarie Briggs Gooding and Dr. Erik Gooding; grandchildren Emma Marie Gooding, Lily Lee Gooding, and Zoie Bethany Gooding; brother in-laws, James Connell and wife Annie Connell, Robert Connell and wife Deb Connell, William Connell and wife Maryanne, and sister in-law Dr. Jeanne Connell and husband Dr. Joseph Mahoney and many cousins, nieces, nephews and friends.
Many heartfelt thanks for the wonderful care and support of Rabbi Gary Berenson of Portland, Maine.
In lieu of flowers,
donations may be made to:
The American Lung Association
https://action.lung.org/site/Donation2?df_id=31271&mfc_pref=T&31271.donation=form1