Thursday, April 18, 2024
It is with great sadness that we announce the death of our beloved sister, wife, aunt, and friend Marie Celine Bradshaw, who passed away peacefully at her home in Edmonds on the morning of Friday the 9th of December 2022.
Marie Celine was born on Aug. 1, 1934, in the quaint village of Dromahair in the west of Ireland, to her parents Edward and Mary Anne McMahon; she was the third of twelve children.
Despite enjoying village life, Marie Celine decided to join the Dominican Order, leaving home when she was 18 years old. She left Ireland and sailed to the United States in 1952, making her way from New York to Tacoma, where she began her studies to become an educator.
After receiving her teaching degree from St. Martin's University and teaching for several years in California and Washington, Marie Celine decided in the late 1970s to withdraw from her service with the Dominican Order.
Throughout her career, Marie Celine achieved many accreditations, including a master's degree of education; she also served as a principal for many schools throughout the Seattle Archdioceses and both Snohomish and King counties.
Marie Celine enjoyed education at all levels, and over the years, she would reflect on her time teaching middle- and high school-aged students, describing those to be some of the most rewarding experiences of her life.
Even in retirement, she continued to serve her local community as a substitute teacher in both public and private schools.
As she grew in years, she rechanneled her passion and generosity towards her faith, family, and friends, never missing a family event and supporting the Irish community broadly.
Despite the distance, Marie Celine, like all the McMahon children, stayed fiercely close to family throughout the years, impressing the value of genuine family bonds to their children and grandchildren.
Marie Celine married George Bradshaw in December 1981; they lived a long and happy married life until George's passing in late 2019.
During their marriage Marie Celine and George enjoyed many outdoor activities; one of their favorite outdoor activities was skiing, taking them to ski resorts around the world.
It was not uncommon, after a good snowfall, to meet Marie Celine at Stevens Pass Resort, enjoying a day of skiing with family or friends. Marie Celine was also a proud member of the Irish Heritage Club of Seattle, was a regular attendee at Irish Senior Luncheons, and enjoyed attending all the local Irish Festival activities for St. Patrick's Day.
Marie Celine is preceded in death by her parents, Edward and Mary Anne McMahon; her brothers Sean and Eamonn; her Sisters Teresa, Angela, and Gabriel; and her husband, George.
She will be deeply missed by her surviving siblings: Camilla Barrett, Liam MacMathuna, Bernard McMahon, Margaret Herriott, Peter McMahon, and Noel McMahon; their spouses; George's daughter Cynthia Bradshaw and grandson Nickolas Bradshaw; and her many nieces, nephews, cousins, friends, colleagues and students.
The celebration of life for Marie Celine was held at her local parish of Holy Rosary Catholic Church in Edmonds on Monday, Dec. 19, 2022. The recitation of the rosary began at 11:30 a.m., and the funeral mass followed at noon.
A graveside burial service was held at Holyrood Cemetery at 2 p.m., with the reception following immediately thereafter at Scott's Bar and Grill.
Contributions may be made in Marie Celine's name to the Tacoma Dominican's retirement fund.
Ar dheis Dé go raibh a h-anam dílis
May her faithful soul rest at God's right hand
