Margery “Tommy” MacNeil Donnelly Gustafson Dearborn

Margery Joan MacNeil Donnelly Gustafson Dearborn, affectionately known as “Tommy,” passed away peacefully at the age of 101. A woman of deep curiosity, creativity, and quiet determination, she left a lasting legacy of civic engagement, historic preservation, and family devotion that helped shape the Worcester community and inspired those who knew her.

Born in Newton, Massachusetts, on April 17, 1924, Tommy was the second of six children of John Leonard MacNeil and Ruah DeWitt MacNeil. Her childhood nickname, “Tommy,” had mysterious origins but enduring charm, following her throughout her long life.

She graduated from Newton High School and then Smith College, completing her degree in just three years during the height of World War II. She briefly pursued graduate studies in architecture at the Harvard Graduate School of Design before her life shifted toward family and community. In 1945, she married James Corcoran Donnelly Jr., whom she had met as a teenager near her family’s summer home in Washington, New Hampshire.

The couple settled in Worcester in 1952, where they raised five children. Following the tragic loss of Jim’s father, Superior Court Judge James Corcoran Donnelly, and his sister Rosemary in an automobile accident, Tommy and Jim made their home on the city’s west side and became active members of the community. Tommy’s early years in Worcester were dedicated to raising her family, volunteering in local schools, and quietly laying the foundation for what would become a lifelong commitment to civic life.

After Jim’s untimely death from cancer in 1971, Tommy began a new chapter as a travel agent, leading trips around the world and developing a deep love for cultures far from home — from Russia to Japan, from India to Ireland. She married twice more: to O. Vincent Gustafson, with whom she created a cherished home on South Road in Holden, and later to Richard W. Dearborn, her beloved companion in travel, gardening, reading, and the joys of everyday life.

Tommy’s passion for architecture and preservation found powerful expression in the 1960s when she became a founding force behind Preservation Worcester. Disturbed by the demolition of historic homes, she hosted the organization’s inaugural meeting in her living room in 1969, helping to catalyze a shift in attitudes toward architectural conservation. She was the first Roman Catholic woman admitted to the Worcester Junior League and served on numerous boards, including the Edward Street Day Care Center, the Visiting Nurses Association, PEAK, the Bancroft School, and Notre Dame Academy. She was a longtime corporator of the Worcester Art Museum, where she served on the building committee, and a devoted member of the American Antiquarian Society, the Shakespeare Club of Worcester, and the Worcester Garden Club, which she presided over in her eighties.

Throughout her life, Tommy remained courageous and adventurous. After celebrating her hundredth birthday, she chose to undergo Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement (TAVR) surgery — a bold decision. Following the procedure, she joined a specialized exercise class to rebuild her strength and stamina, where she was both the oldest and the only woman in attendance.

Tommy’s boundless energy and warmth drew people in. She was a gifted conversationalist, a perceptive reader, a fiercely loyal friend, and a champion of beauty in all forms — especially in books, buildings, and gardens. Her sharp intellect, dry wit, and generous spirit touched countless lives.

She is survived by her five children: James C. Donnelly III and his wife, Carol, of Worcester; Deirdre Donnelly and her husband, Ed Lomas, of Elko, Nevada; Ruah Donnelly and her husband, Steve Dinkelaker, of Conway, Massachusetts; John Donnelly and his wife, Christina, of Jersey City, New Jersey; and Barbara Granito and her husband, Michael, of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. She is also survived by Oyuko Mbeche of Nairobi and Koru, Kenya, whom she considered a third son since his time living with her family in the 1960s.

She leaves three grandchildren — James C. Donnelly IV, Sarah Donnelly, and Julia Granito — and two great-grandchildren, James C. Donnelly V and Dorothea Donnelly.

Additionally, she is survived by her stepchildren: John Dearborn; Mary V. Dearborn and her husband, Erik Laursen; Valerie Gustafson Stowe and her husband, John; and Arden Gustafson. She also leaves step-grandchildren Donald (Dug) and Jeremy Stowe, and Anna and Laura Gustafson, along with many nieces, nephews, and lifelong friends.

She was predeceased by her parents, all of her beloved siblings, and her husbands: Jim Donnelly, Vin Gustafson, and Dick Dearborn.

Even in her final years, Tommy continued to swim regularly, host garden club meetings, and share stories and memories with those around her. In 2022, she received the Knollwood Award for exceptional community leadership and service to Greater Worcester from Notre Dame Academy. On April 29 of this year, she attended the dedication of the Margery Donnelly Dearborn Room at Preservation Worcester, where she was presented with a key to the city.

She often said she hoped her great-grandchildren would know who she was. Thanks to her stories, her legacy, and the lives she touched, they surely will.

Calling hours will be held at Athy Memorial Home, 111 Lancaster St., Worcester, on Friday, June 20, from 3:00 to 7:00 PM. A funeral Mass will be celebrated at the Assumption University Chapel, 500 Salisbury St., Worcester, on Saturday, June 21, at 11:00 AM.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in her memory to Preservation Worcester, the Worcester Art Museum Donnelly Gallery Fund, or the American Antiquarian Society.