Mary Leona "Lee" (Harrington) Talty, 87
Mary Leona "Lee" (Harrington) Talty, 87, of Mattapoisett, passed away on March 21, 2026 surrounded by the love of her family. She was the beloved wife of the late Bernard F. Talty.
Born in Malden, Massachusetts, she was the daughter of the late Patrick L. and Mary (Martin) Harrington. She grew up in Medford and Malden before moving to Mattapoisett in 1966, the town she would call home for the next six decades.
Before becoming a nurse - and before meeting Bernie - Lee first felt called to serve through the Catholic Church. At eighteen, she spent several months in Baltimore discerning a vocation with the School Sisters of Notre Dame. Though she ultimately realized she was not called to religious life, that quiet season of prayer and reflection shaped her deeply. A life of service would always be her calling.
Lee graduated from Malden Hospital School of Nursing in 1961 and began her career as one of the first nurses to work in one of the earliest intensive care units built outside of Boston. She was immensely proud of her work as a nurse. After settling in Mattapoisett, she later worked as a private duty nurse, often arranging her shifts opposite Bernie's at Rodney Metals in New Bedford so that one parent was always home with their six children.
As her children grew older, Lee served for many years as a floor nurse at Sacred Heart Nursing Home in New Bedford - tenderly caring for others at the same time her own mother resided there. She later worked close to home at the Mattapoisett Nursing Home, and eventually became the nurse at Tabor Academy in Marion, where she remained until her retirement.
Lee's steady example of compassion and competence inspired two generations of healthcare providers. Her daughter Kerrin became a palliative care and end-of-life nurse after many years as a teacher. Her granddaughter Hallie is a registered nurse pursuing her Nurse Practitioner degree, and her granddaughter Kaylee is a Physician's Assistant. Nothing made Lee prouder.
She was a longtime parishioner of St. Anthony's Church and attended daily Mass faithfully until 2020. Lee was also an avid tennis player, playing for years with friends in Mattapoisett and Marion, and later in Florida, where she and Bernie spent time in The Villages.
Lee was predeceased by her sister, Roberta McNamara.
She is survived by her children: Bernard Talty and his wife Julie Court Talty of Mattapoisett; David Talty and his wife Marla Brierley Talty of Wareham; Leanne Taillon and her husband Donald of Greenville, South Carolina; Kevin Talty and his wife Colleen Mahoney Talty of York, Maine; Kerrin Pratt and her husband Tim of Warner, New Hampshire; and Brendan Talty and his partner Jolie Kouta, also of Mattapoisett.
Lee leaves cherished grandchildren: Nicholas and Nolan Taillon; Kaylee Mattiello and her husband Anthony; Andrew Talty; Hallie Windhurst and her husband Nick; Catherine, Matthew, and Maggie Talty; U.S. Army Capt. Devin Pratt; Samuel Pratt; and Benjamin Pratt; as well as Jayce and Rylee Kouta. She also leaves two great-grandchildren, Magnolia Joy Taillon and Isabella Ann Mattiello.
Lee's life was defined by quiet faith, steady devotion to family, a fierce work ethic, and a nurse's heart that never stopped caring. Her legacy lives on in the family she raised, the patients she comforted, and the generations she inspired.
Her Funeral will be held on Wednesday, April 1st at 9 AM from the Saunders-Dwyer Mattapoisett Home for Funerals, 50 County Rd. (Rt. 6), Mattapoisett, followed by her Funeral Mass at St. Anthony's Church at 10 AM. Burial will follow in St. Anthony's Cemetery. Visiting hours will be on Tuesday, March 31st from 4-7 PM. In lieu of flowers please make donations to Southcoast Health at Home Hospice who provided amazing and compassionate care to Lee, and who were a wonderful support system for her family. Donations are used for patients/families that have financial difficulties. Southcoast Health at Home Hospice 200 Mill Road Fairhaven, MA 02719. Arrangements are with the Saunders-Dwyer Mattapoisett Home for Funerals, 50 County Rd. (Rt. 6), Mattapoisett. For online guestbook, visit www.saundersdwyer.com.
