On Monday, May 29^th Anne left this world surrounded by her family.  She was 87 years old.

Anne was born in the Bronx, New York to William T. and Mary “Babe” (nee’ Morrisroe) O’Beirne.  She was the baby sister to brothers William (Billy) and Owen (Gene).  Anne was very proud of Bronx roots always referring to herself as a “BIC” or Bronx Irish Catholic.

Growing up, Anne was always surrounded by family; aunts, uncles and cousins would come over every Saturday night to eat, drink, talk about the “Old Country” and sing a song or two of Irish music. She greatly enjoyed those days and spoke of them often.

Anne attended Cathedral High School in Manhattan.  It was during this time she met a group of friends that would become extremely important to her.  She called them her “Crowd”.  They called themselves the “138 Club” referring to the street in the Bronx many of them lived on.  Her “Crowd” were life-long friends who got together whenever they could at parties, parades, life milestones and whenever needed.  As they got older, they often had reunions in the Catskills, Jersey Shore, Florida, on Cruises and even Aruba; they were even acknowledged by the Aruba Government.

After high school, Anne took a job as a secretary in Commercial Factor Bank where she met the love of her life, Bob McCracken.  They married in 1961, dancing to their wedding song, “It Had To Be You”.  Together they had a son, Bobby and daughter, Maureen.

In 1977, tragedy struck and Bob died suddenly, leaving Anne as a single mom with two children.  She then put her faith in the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the angels came.  She moved herself and her children to Westchester to live with her beloved brother Gene, his family, and her mother.  Anne went back to work in the city as a legal secretary for three wonderful attorneys, Mark Cash, Paul Scheib and David Helphant.

Life wasn’t easy but she had her faith, family and “crowd” to keep her strong.  She spent summer vacations, courtesy of her closest friend Marie Shaw, at Marie’s summer home on the Jersey Shore, Ocean Beach, Unit II.  Marie had lost her husband only a few years after Anne’s, so the two had a bond like no other. Anne greatly enjoyed sitting on beach chatting, hanging out at the club house and just spending time with the great people she met there.

Over the years, Anne’s family also expanded.  Her daughter married, Michael O’Connor and together they had two daughters, Claire and Caitlin.  Her son also married and had two sons, Dylan and Declan.  Anne loved her grandchildren deeply and was a very big part of their lives.  All her grandchildren agree she was the best Nana ever!

Anne was able to reconnect with her extended family in recent years with the creation of the Morrisroe Family Reunions.  First at a cousin’s house and growing, thanks to her cousin, Fr. Chris Keenan, to be held on the grounds of the College of Mt. St. Vincent where Fr. Chris lived.  Family came from near and far, a few even flew over from Ireland to join in the fun.  Again, Anne watched her family get together to eat, drink and this time, talk to a new generation about the “Old Country”.  And of course sing a few Irish tunes.

In later years, Anne spent more time in Westchester with her beloved brother Gene and very dear nephew Billy.  Her and Gene looked after each other, he at 97 and her at 87.

She was active until only two weeks ago, even reading two to three books a week.  On May 19^th she was admitted into the hospital and soon after the doctors told her, her heart was failing and nothing more could be done.  As always, she put her faith in the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Angels came.

Maureen brought her to her home in New Jersey. There among her daughter, son and granddaughters, holding her daughter’s hand, she passed.  We will miss her so very much but will have some peace knowing when things get hard the Angels will come and the one leading the pack will be Anne.

She was pre-deceased by her husband, Robert, parents, William and Mary, and her brother William.

Surviving is her daughter and son-in-law, Maureen and Michael O’Connor, and her son Robert McCracken and Lexi; her brother, Owen “Gene” O’Beirne; her grandchildren, Claire and Caitlin O’Connor, and Dylan and Declan McCracken; nephew, Bill O’Beirne and niece Joanne O’Beirne.

Visitation, Sunday June 4^th, 1-4 pm at Holmdel Funeral Home, 26 South Holmdel Road, Holmdel, NJ. Mass of Christian burial will be offered Monday June 5th, 9:15 am at the Church of St. Catharine, 108 Middletown Road, Holmdel. Interment will follow at Long Island National Cemetery at 1 pm.

To share a favorite memory or send a message of condolence, please visit Anne’s page of tributes at www.holmdelfuneralhome.com.