Mary M. Gorman, 83, Vero Beach
Mary M. (nee Benson) Gorman, 83, of Vero Beach, formerly of Dorchester, Needham, Cotuit and Wellesley, Mass., died peacefully on Aug. 27, 2020, after a lengthy illness.
Born to Joseph R. and Mary A. Benson in Dorchester, Mass., Mary attended Stonehill College in Easton, Mass.
It was at Stonehill College, on the first day of class freshman year, that Mary met Jack Gorman, whom she married on May 9, 1959, at St. Gregory’s Church in Dorchester.
Upon graduation, Mary began her career as an English teacher at Sharon High School. In later years, she worked at Hyde Park High School, Boston Latin Academy, and Ursuline Academy.
Mary enjoyed her friends, her association with the Holy Cross Women’s Guild, and time spent with family, especially her grandchildren. She always looked forward to Stonehill get-togethers. Mary and Jack remained devoted supporters of Stonehill College throughout their lives.
Mary was predeceased by her beloved husband, Jack. She is survived by her daughter, Mary Jo Keaney, and son-in-law, Paul Keaney, of Vero Beach; grandchild, Laura (husband, Aaron) Huntley, of South Boston, Mass., and grandchild, Alex P. Keaney (partner, Shawn Solaas), of Boston; sister, Elaine Timilty, of Canton, Mass.; brother, Thomas Benson (wife, Mary), of Hernando, Fla.; and many loving nieces and nephews.
Services will be held 10 a.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 1, 2020, at Holy Cross Catholic Church in Vero Beach. Please wear masks to the funeral and practice social distancing.
In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation to the Jack and Mary Gorman Scholarship Fund via www.stonehill.edu/giving or direct mail to:
Stonehill College
320 Washington St.
Easton, MA 02357
Vivienne Hardeen, 95, Vero Beach
Vivienne Hardeen , 95, of Vero Beach, passed away on Aug. 22, 2020. She was born Vivienne Maureen Pisciotta in Brooklyn, N.Y., on Nov. 15 1924.
Her father was a judge and her mother was a high-ranking Republican Party leader.
As a child, Vivienne contracted polio and was in an iron lung for two years. She was the only child to walk out of the hospital unaided. The experience made her resilient and a fighter.
The family were all horseback riders; Vivienne had her own horse named Springtime. They rode often through Central Park in NYC.
She attended high school at Mary Lewis Academy in Brooklyn and came out at the Waldorf Astoria’s Debutante Ball in NYC. She attended college at Georgian Court College in New Jersey. She was accepted to Fordham Law School in NYC in 1947.
Instead of Law School she married Air Force pilot Capt. Freeland Mathews. They were stationed at March Field in Riverside, California; Rome, New York; Nellis AFB in Las Vegas, Nevada; UCOM in Paris, France and Maxwell AFB Staff Command College in Montgomery, Alabama. Along the way, they had five children. In the service, Vivienne chaired the Officer’s Wives Club in several locations.
When Lt. Col. Mathews retired in 1964 from the Air Force, the family moved to Stony Brook on Long Island in New York. Subsequently, Vivienne attended Stony Brook University for her Master’s degree and she began a teaching career. She held a subscription to the Metropolitan Opera and the New York City Ballet at Lincoln Center for many years.
Upon her retirement from teaching, Vivienne moved down to Vero Beach where she became active in the Altameda Circle of The Garden Club of Indian River. She married Peter Hardeen and twice they chaired the Beaux Arts Ball for the Vero Beach Museum.
Her brother, Alex Jr., remembers her always being in charge of everything she did – every activity, club and organization. She was a creative elementary school teacher. She became an avid gardener.
Vivienne had a reputation for hosting elegant cocktail parties. She had a sense of style.
She is survived by her brother, Alex Pisciotta Jr., of San Diego, Calif.; and his three daughters.
She will be missed by her four children, Dian Mathews, of Keene, N.H., Patrice Sheldon (husband, Paul), of Scottsdale, Ariz.; Sharon Mathews, of NYC; and Scott Mathews (wife, Laurie), of Washington State; three grandchildren, Alex Mathews (wife, Martha), of Hingham, Mass., Lauren Sheldon, of Los Angeles, Calif., and Paul Sheldon Jr., of Utah; and her great-granddaughters, Grace, Madison and Lila Mathews will miss their GG.
