Marie Patricia Phillipps

PHILLIPPS, Marie Patricia Of Walpole. 88. Died peacefully, April 26, in the warm and caring environment of Victorian Mansion in Attleboro. Marie was known as "Pat" by her friends and "Mimi" by her seven grandchildren and four great-grandchildren. She was well known for her insistence that she was 26 years old, a stance she maintained for 62 years. Marie was born in Malden, one of four children of Marie Mostovski of Poland and John Meshna of Baltimore. She graduated at the top of her class from Malden Catholic High School and became, in her late teens, the nation's youngest woman pilot. When not caring for her family, she worked as Walpole's first teacher's aid and volunteered in dozens of studies at the Tufts Center for Nutrition and Aging where she made important contributions to what is currently known about osteoporosis in women. Marie was also a member of 2 0ther Women's Health Initiative and, at the age of 56, participated in the Outward Bound Program, surviving alone for days on an island off the Maine coast. In her more sedate moments, she knitted sweaters for every adult, child and teddy bear she deemed to need one. In her 80's, when Alzheimer's robbed her of this skill, she used her remaining abilities to knit scarves for the homeless. Marie is survived by her husband Jack of 8-F Neponset View Terrace, Walpole; her sister Lillian of North Chelmsford; children Anita (Lestan), Bob, Larry, Mike and Peter; grandchildren Abby, April, Bill, Paul, Kim, Evan, and Matthew; great-grandchildren Christopher, Eric, Curt and Ronny and innumerable in-laws and friends. She was a blessing and inspiration to them all and to the many people she helped who never had the good fortune to know her.

Relatives and friends are kindly invited to attend the Mass of Christian Burial that will be celbrated in Blessed Sacrament Church East Street (Route 27) at Diamond Street Walpole on Friday, May 1, 2009 at 10AM. Visiting hours are Thursday, April 30, 2009 from 4-7 PM in the James H. Delaney & Son Funeral Home 48 Common Street Walpole. Interment in Knollwood Memorial Park Canton. Remembrances in her name would be gratefully accepted by the Alzheimer's Foundation of America at www.alz.org or 225 North Michigan Ave, 17th Floor, Chicago, IL 60601