Online Obituaries

Marie Bernadette (Barry) Giles, 92, of West Brookfield, MA, passed away on February 8, 2025. She was born on July 21, 1932, in Lawrence, MA to Daniel Arthur and Helen (Murphy) Barry. Marie and her sisters, Joan Claire (Barry) Croteau and Diane Mary (Barry) Haggerty, were raised by their grandmother, Mary (Sheridan) Murphy. Marie attended Emmanuel College in Boston, became an elementary school teacher, and earned a Master’s in Education from the University of Massachusetts. She moved to Searsport, Maine for a teaching position and met her husband, Wesley Roderick “Rocky” Giles, Jr., through mutual friends. They married in 1964. After they had their children, Patricia and Ruth, they moved to Lincolnville and Marie stayed home to raise them. Marie was incredibly involved in her community. Among many things, she was an active member of the local food coop, organized and made baked beans for town suppers, served on the town board, cooked for, and fed her children and all of their friends, and drove them everywhere for events, lessons, games, appointments. She loved to read, and had a knack for gardening and crafts, but became most involved with quilting. She was also a proud member of Mensa. When her children finished school and Rocky retired, they travelled regularly. Marie spent a little time substitute teaching but devoted most of her time to quilting. She participated in quilting workshops and shows in Maine and around New England. She took wonderful care of Rocky when he needed it later in his life. After he passed away in 2010, she moved back to Massachusetts to be near her daughter, Ruth, and stayed as active as she could, reading and quilting, until a stroke slowed her down a little over a year ago. Marie is predeceased by her husband, Rocky, and survived by her daughters, Patricia Marie Giles of Syracuse, NY and Ruth Marie Giles and her husband Christopher Szarek of Chicopee, MA. Calling Hours will be on Wednesday, February 12, 2025 at the Cierpial Memorial Funeral Home on 61 Grape St. in Chicopee, MA from 4 to 6 pm. Donations in Marie’s name can be made to the Maine Maritime Academy.