Services planned for Ridgefielder Mary M. McInerney, 73, Dorothy Day volunteer, advocate for victims of domestic violence

Mary M. McInerney (nee Schlagel), 73, of Ridgefield, passed away on Sunday, April 15, 2018. She was the loving wife of Mr. Thomas P. McInerney.

Mrs. McInerney was born in Minneapolis, MN on December 4, 1944; a daughter of the late William and Helma (Klevgard) Schlagel. She grew up with her five siblings in a very loving Catholic family. When she was a young adult she traveled east to New York City where she would meet her husband and start her family.  In 1976, she and her husband moved to Ridgefield where they built and lived their dream.

Mrs. McInerney was the retired Executive Director of the Connecticut Coalition Against Domestic Violence. She began her career as a volunteer at the Women’s Center of Danbury and later became a director of this organization supporting victims of domestic and sexual assault.  She would go on to lead a similar program for the YWCA in Bridgeport (now known as The Center for Family Justice). She was a frequent speaker and trainer on the topic of domestic and sexual abuse.  She had a gift for explaining the complex cycle of abuse to victims, counselors, and law enforcement.

For the last twelve years, she, her husband and a team of friends volunteered monthly at the Dorothy Day Hospitality House in Danbury.  She was a parishioner of St. Mary’s Church, of Ridgefield. Years prior, the family attended St. Elizabeth Seton where Mrs. McInerney had been Director of Religious Education.

Mrs. McInerney was a loving mother, grandmother and cherished friend. She poured her creative energy into unique events for her grandchildren that included tea parties, pumpkin parties, and extravagant Easter egg hunts.  As some of her grandchildren grew older she would have lunches and share her wisdom and stories.  Grandma’s house was a safe, fun and beautiful place to be a grandchild. She was never one to miss an opportunity to have a party with her friends taking any obscure holiday, political or pop-culture event to create a theme and reason to gather which she called “Flash Mobs”.  In 2016, her home was featured in Ridgefield Magazine celebrating her Christmas decorating style.

Mrs. McInerney is survived by her adoring husband of 52 years, Thomas and their five children: Monica McInerney and her husband, David Honeyford; Thomas McInerney Jr.; Ted McInerney; Todd McInerney and his wife, Tammy, and Tim McInerney. She is also survived by 12 grandchildren: Madeline, Malcolm, Delia, Grace, Spencer, Megan, Mason, Liam, Aine, Dylan, Chase and Alexis. In addition, Mrs. McInerney is survived by 2 brothers; William Schlagel and his wife, Sandy, and John Schlagel and his wife, Bonnie, as well as 2 sisters; Margaret Schlagel and Nancy Palmquist and her husband, Bob, plus many nieces and nephews.

Mrs. McInerney was predeceased by her parents, her sister Marie Schlagel and nephew Brian Schlagel.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated by Msgr. Robert Weiss and Msgr. Laurence Bronkiewicz on Friday, April 20, 2018 at 10:15 AM at St. Mary’s Church; 55 Catoonah Street, Ridgefield. Interment will follow in St. Mary’s Cemetery, Ridgefield. Friends will be received on Thursday, April 19, 2018 from 4:00 to 7:00 PM at Kane Funeral Home; 25 Catoonah Street, Ridgefield.  In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made in honor of their grandson, Liam, to Little Britches Therapeutic Riding, P.O. Box 120; Woodbury, CT 06798, www.littlebritchesct.org.

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Submitted by Ridgefield, CT

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