Mary Lou (Jennette) Lehigh

Mary Lou (Jennette) Lehigh, 85, passed away peacefully on Monday, February 9, 2026, at the Rose Monahan Hospice Home, surrounded by care and compassion and her daughters.

She is lovingly survived by her three daughters: Jennifer Herlihy and her husband, James, of West Simsbury, Connecticut; Victoria “Tory” Apolito and her husband, Chris, of Chapel Hill, North Carolina; and Gretchen Lehigh of Annapolis, Maryland. Her six grandchildren — Emma, Anna, Caroline, Devin, Jenna, and Paige — were the great joy of her life. She also leaves behind extended family and cousins, and a circle of treasured lifelong friends who meant the world to her.

Born in Westfield, daughter to John F. and Margaret F. (Power) Jennette, Mary Lou grew up in Worcester.  She was a proud graduate of Notre Dame Academy and Anna Maria College, where she began shaping her lifelong commitment to education.

Mary Lou spent 15 years teaching at West Tatnuck Elementary School, retiring in 2010. She believed deeply in her students and in the quiet, lasting impact of kindness, encouragement, and high expectations. Teaching was not simply her profession — it was part of who she was.

Although she lived in several parts of the country after leaving Worcester in the 1970s, she chose to return more than 25 years ago to be close to the lifelong friends who had remained such an important part of her story. Those friendships — filled with laughter, loyalty, and countless shared meals — sustained her throughout her life.

A faithful member of Christ the King Parish, Mary Lou found strength in her faith and joy in her community. She was a proud member of the Divine Dining Divas, a voracious reader who always had a book nearby, a lover of classic films, and happiest during beach days on Cape Cod with the people she loved most.

A Memorial Mass will be held on Saturday, March 14, at 10 a.m. at Christ the King Church, 1053 Pleasant Street, Worcester. Burial will be private.

In lieu of flowers, donations in Mary Lou’s memory may be made to the Rose Monahan Hospice Home, 10 Judith Road, Worcester, MA 01602.

Arrangements are under the care of Athy Memorial Home.