Martha A (MacDonald) Boran

Born Martha Anne to Marcellus and Josephine MacDonald on a large farm in St Peters Bay, Prince Edward Island Canada.  She was the 8th child in a family of 9.  Throughout her life she told many entertaining stories of what life was like growing up on the farm.  As a young adult she spent some time as a novice in the convent as she considered devoting her life to God.  An illness caused her to return home and take a different path.  She went on to receive an associate degree in business administration from Notre Dame Academy in Charlottetown, PEI then moved to Boston to live with her cousin Mary and later her sister Florence.  She began her career as an Administrative Assistant at State St Bank adjusting to the stark contrast of city life.  She sometimes thought about moving back home and as fate would have it, she soon met her late husband Laurence “Larry” Boran of 62 years.  While raising 9 children Martha’s unwavering faith in God always helped her maintain the confidence needed to persevere through challenging times.  She was an avid participant in the choir at St John’s Chrysostom church.  While cooking or baking many of the dishes enjoyed by the family, she would sometimes remind us St Martha was the patron saint of the kitchen.  The tea kettle never seemed cold too long in Martha’s kitchen as friends and neighbors stopped by to say hello.  Martha enjoyed many summers with Larry, friends, and family on Prince Edward Island, traveled to Europe and often visited their dear friends Mimi and Bruce Wilson in Delhi, New York.  One of her more memorable adventures was prime seating during Pope John Paul II’s visit to Boston in 1979 thanks to her late friend Jackie Creager.  We take comfort knowing she has attained true peace in God’s presence and happily reunited with loved ones she had long missed.

Martha is the loving mother of the late Joseph and his wife Laura, William, James, Robert, the late John, Jane and her husband Kenny, Richard, Claire and her husband William, Stephen and his wife Fatima.  She is the grandmother to Daniel, Naomi, Ian, James, Rachael, the late baby John, Noelle, Christian, Richard, David, Mark and great grandmother to Courtney, Kris, Tristan, Franklin and Layla. 

Martha is pre-deceased by her parents Josephine and Marcellus, brothers Steven, Joseph Laughlin, Eugene, George and Earl as well as sisters Mary Taylor, Helen Grayston, and Florence MacDonald. 

Funeral from The Robert J. Lawler & Crosby Funeral Home, 1803 Centre St. WEST ROXBURY on Friday July 19, at 9:00 am. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated in St. John Chrysostom Church, 4750 Washington St. West Roxbury at 10:00 am. Relatives and friends are invited to attend. Visiting hours in the funeral home on Thursday July 18, from 3:00 to 7:00 pm. Interment St. Joseph Cemetery.

Martha's funeral mass will be live-streamed and may be found on the church website www.stjohnchrysostom02132.org (click the youtube link, it will begin at the same time as the Mass).