Mary Tighe Lenihan, a Union City native who lived most of her life in Monmouth County, died on August 8, 2024 surrounded by family. She was 82.

Mary was a proud Jersey Girl who grew up on Palisade Avenue in Union City. As the youngest of the four Tighe children, she had three older brothers – an athletic and scrappy little sister who looked up to her siblings but wasn’t afraid to square off with them.

She attended St. Michael’s High School in Union City, where she was captain of the basketball team. Her high school yearbook always remained close to her, even in the final years. The amount of signatures and notes from her classmates in the Class of 1959 book reveals her popularity, and how much she loved the town and school where she grew up. The yearbook caption under Mary’s senior class photo says: “Energetic basketball player…cheerful addition to any group…disarmingly apt remarks…mischief is her middle name…popular with the Student Council.” Those traits remained until the very end. 

Union City and St. Michael’s is where she met her lifelong friends who in the 1980’s dubbed themselves the “Goldens.”

After high school, Mary enrolled in a secretary school and eventually landed a job at McGraw-Hill. Her years commuting into New York City and working at the publishing house was a time she frequently spoke about with pride and nostalgia. 

Through a friend, Mary met Jim “Mickey” Lenihan, a Bronx native who also had mischief as a middle name. After a courtship involving New York City’s music and dancing scene, the two married in 1964 and settled in Union City. 

Mary and Mickey moved to Manalapan in the early 1970s, where they raised their five children. For more than 30 years, the Lenihan house on Chamber Lane was a scene of family fun, sports, and chaos. As a mother, Mary was firm and loving, and ran a tight ship. If a child didn’t fold their laundry, it was placed in a basket and moved to the front porch. She would have Mets games on or other pro sports while tidying the house, or preparing food for an army of neighborhood children. Mary was famous for her Christmas Eve parties with family and neighborhood friends where she always had a gift, often a lottery ticket, for whoever happened to pop into the house that night.  

Her absolute love of the Jersey Shore grew over the years, with day trips to Avon, often with her Manalapan friends – a group of like-minded, fun-loving mothers she met in town who became her dear friends. 

Family summers were spent in beloved Lake George with Mickey’s friends from the Bronx and their families. Once again, Mary found a fun-loving group who loved being with her – stories of their “Lake” shenanigans are still told today. The Lenihan children are still not sure who had more fun on those vacations — the parents or the kids!

In 2003, with all children grown and out of the house, Mary and Mickey sold the Chamber Lane residence, and went their separate ways. Mary rented an upstairs apartment in Spring Lake, on the corner of 3rd and Passaic, a short walk from the South Pavilion. Her years in that town cemented her love of the Jersey Shore and officially turned her children and grandchildren into South End Spring Lakers. Mary eventually bought a home in Lakewood, settling into the Lions Head Woods 55 and over community. That was where a “Goldens” friend lived and Mary quickly became an active member of the community, going to pool and exercise classes and birthday lunches. Spring Lake remained an easy and frequent trip from Lakewood. 

Known as “Grammie” to her 12 grandchildren, she would host Christmas and Easter holidays, plus New Year’s parties too. Mary loved to socialize and share stories and celebrations with friends and family. During her Lakewood years, Mary continued her work as a healthcare office manager during the week, and on the weekends she would often visit her children and grandchildren, which sent her north to Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, and New York City. She was happiest watching her grandchildren shine on the field and on the stage. From 2008 to 2014, she would travel alone nearly every year to Hong Kong where her youngest daughter lived with her family. From there, Mary would join the family on trips, which included trips to Shanghai, Hangzhou, and Yanghshuo, and two harrowing ferry rides to Macau. An intrepid traveler even in her 70s. 

She celebrated her 75th birthday with all of her children and grandchildren, along with her dearest friends, whom she adored. Mary was glowing that night. The celebration, along with all the music and singing (always singing), was how she relished spending her time. 

Dementia crept in shortly after and in early 2020, Mary moved to Sunrise Senior Center in Lincroft. There, among an amazing staff and management team, she lived just two miles from her daughter and was able to continue to enjoy life among family and celebrate holidays and milestones the way she loved. In her later years, she never forgot her Union City roots and would often say “take me to 1513 Palisade Avenue.” 

Tim Tighe, a Paulist priest and Mary’s only surviving brother, was at her side when she passed, along with her children. Father Tim would say mass at the nearby St. Leo’s church or at Sunrise itself, a way to serve each community and spend time with his sister. Mary so enjoyed hearing her brother say mass, and she enjoyed critiquing him as well – before, after, or sometimes during mass. 

She is survived by her brother, Father Tim Tighe; her son Dan, his wife Peggy, and their three children, Colleen, Bryan and Kerry; her son Tim, his wife Melissa, and their two children, Connor and Ryan; her daughter Meg, her husband Doug, and their three children, Maia, Katie, and Tom; her daughter Ellen, her husband Mike, and their four children, Fiona, Teagan, Maeve and Ruari; and her son Jim. 

The family would like to ask that any donations in her name go to the St. John Vianney Margaret T. Lenihan Scholarship (note to give to this scholarship in the restricted section or on the memo of a check). The scholarship was started in honor of her mother-in-law and all of Mary’s children attended SJV.

A visitation will be held on Monday, August 12 from 4pm – 7pm at Holmdel Funeral Home, 26 S. Holmdel Road, Holmdel. A Mass of Christian Burial will be offered on Tuesday, August 13 at 10:15 am at Saint Leo the Great Parish, 50 Hurleys Lane, Lincroft. Burial will follow at St. Gabriel’s Cemetery, 549 County Route 520, Marlboro.