Obituary of Mary Rose Burr

Mary Rose Burr, 70, of Spartanburg, SC, died Wednesday, November 2, 2022 at Duke University Hospital in Durham, NC.

Born in Elizabeth, NJ, she was the daughter of the late Joseph and Catherine Rose Cawley. 

Mary grew up in South Plainfield, NJ, and raised her family in Clinton Township, NJ, before moving to South Carolina 20 years ago.

A registered nurse, caring for others was part of her DNA. After graduating from South Plainfield High School in 1970, she followed in her mother’s footsteps and studied nursing at Middlesex County College. She got her start in the field at Muhlenberg Hospital, followed by a stint as a private duty nurse. She later worked in home health at Hunterdon Medical Center before finishing her career in South Carolina as a hospice nurse, retiring in 2012.

A devout Catholic, Mary was a member of Immaculate Conception Church in Annandale, NJ, and then Jesus Our Risen Savior Catholic Church in Spartanburg, SC, where she was active in the church and loved by her many friends in the bible study group. Mary was an excellent cook, an even better listener and was kind to everyone who crossed her path. She was a fan of football, politics, shopping and traveling. But nothing competed with her devotion to her friends and family – especially her precious grandchildren. Mary was a force of nature after the birth of each of her grandchildren, doting on her daughters and daughter-in-law and grandbabies as only a nurse and grandma could. She cherished every moment she spent with her family.

She is survived by her beloved husband of 47 years, William III; her son, William IV and his wife, Laura of Clinton; her two daughters, Amy Siller and her husband, Jason of Clinton Township and Colleen Watchorn and her husband, Matthew of Spartanburg, SC; her three brothers, Michael Cawley and his wife, Colleen of Delaware, Patrick Cawley of Florida, and Brian Cawley and his wife, Maureen of Georgia; her two sisters, Jeanne Grimshaw and her husband, Glenn of Clinton Township and Kathleen Coryell and her husband, Gary of Pennsylvania; and sister in laws, Linda Cawley of Pennsylvania and Marylynn Cawley of NJ.  She will be forever missed by her five grandchildren, Skylar and William V (Liam) Burr, Elliana and Melina Siller and Wyatt Watchorn. 

A funeral liturgy will be held on Wednesday, November 9, 2022 at 10:00 am at Immaculate Conception Church in Annandale, NJ.

Relatives and friends may visit with the family on Tuesday, November 8, 2022 from 5:00 to 8:00 pm at the Kearns Funeral Home, 103 Old Highway 28, Whitehouse, NJ 08888. 

Burial will be in Immaculate Conception Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers donations may be made through IN MEMORY OF at www.inmemof.org/mary-rose-burr for the benefit of Hospice.