Katherine M (Mylod) Mainzer
Katherine Mainzer Obituary
Mainzer, Katherine Mylod, 88, died peacefully on July 15, 2022, surrounded by her loving family. A longtime resident of New Jersey, she moved to Boston in 2019 to be closer to her five daughters and their families. Katherine grew up in Park Slope, Brooklyn with a large and loving family. Holidays were great events and summers were spent in Spring Lake on the Jersey Shore. She graduated from Saint Saviour’s High School and the College of New Rochelle where she met wonderful lifelong friends.
One summer at the Shore she met the love of her life, lifeguard and aspiring stockbroker Robert Mainzer. They married in 1958 and enjoyed 56 years together. After starting their family in Stuyvesant town they moved to Matawan, New Jersey to raise their girls. Katherine became very active in St. Benedict’s Parish, serving as Director of Religious Education, Parish Council member, and a singer with the Folk Group. She and Bob found great friends at St. Benedict’s, and cherished the fellowship, Cursillo gatherings and social justice projects they participated in. After helping organize a shelter at the church, Katherine co-founded Manna House in Keyport for housing insecure families. For this community service she later received the Ursula Lauris and Angela Merici medals from the College of New Rochelle and a Monmouth County Woman of Distinction Award. In later years, she worked for Peter Graham, CPA and Pegasus Systems as a bookkeeper and tax preparer.
Katherine was uncommonly forward thinking and brought enormous joy to many people with her open mind and inclusive spirit. She and her beloved Bob created community wherever they went, prioritizing family and friends above all else. She was a devoted mother and Gammy, delighting in her children and grandchildren’s interests and accomplishments. She could always be found cheering on the front lines at their various work events and family celebrations.
She was a woman of deep faith and commitment; to friends, family and those less fortunate. She had a great sense of humor, and was kind, thoughtful and generous. Her life was a rich mosaic of family and friends; starting with her parents, eight brothers and sisters and their partners, who held a party for every occasion. Katherine continued those traditions with her own children and hosted numerous egg hunts, Christmas dinners and bag tricks. She was an active member of the Leaf Mothers prayer group for many years. Katherine is survived by her daughters Katherine Mainzer, Meg Mainzer-Cohen (Mark), Eileen (Church) Preston (Robert), Mary Vadala (Charles) and Elizabeth Gagnon (James). Grandchildren Megan (Juan Fernando), Heather, Luke, Stephen, Robert, Charles, Christine, Erin, Madeline, Letty, Gunnar, Henry (Sherelle) and Sarah, as well as great grandchildren Larimar and Rio. She is also survived by her brothers Robert (Monica) and Brian (Kathleen) and sisters Eleanor (Craig), Rosemary, and Carol (Henry) and 26 nieces and nephews who appreciated their dear Aunt Kathy. She is predeceased by her husband Robert L. Mainzer, her brother Charlie and his wife Betty, sister Marion and her husband Anthony, and nephew Scott Kirton. She is also survived by her close cousins, the McLoughlin family. People wishing to make a memorial contribution can send it to Project Hope, a program supporting families and their housing needs prohope.org or Stephy’s Place Stephysplace.org
Visiting hours will be held on Monday, July 18, in The Robert J. Lawler & Crosby Funeral Home, 1803 Centre St. West Roxbury from 4:00 to 7:00 pm. A Mass of Christian burial will be celebrated on Tuesday, July 19, in St. Cecilia Church, 18 Belvidere St. Boston at 11:00 am. Relatives and friends are invited to attend. Interment private.
We are grateful that some of you will be able to join us in person, and we deeply appreciate the heartfelt support of those of you who will be attending in spirit.
Since Covid is prevalent in Boston, we hope everyone will take the precautions that allow them to feel most comfortable. Masks will be available at the wake and funeral. Saint Cecilia’s has an outdoor courtyard which will be available for us to greet each other, and for those who would like to eat outside.
We are aware that many people have special plans that they hope will not be disrupted by Covid, and it’s always good to protect one’s health! With a spirit of love and community we will get through this together!
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