Dr. Mary E. McGauvran

Retired Vice President of Student Affairs, U/Mass Lowell;

 Dr. Mary E. McGauvran, 96, of Lowell, died Monday, May 12th at Sunny Acres Nursing Home in Chelmsford.
 Born in Lowell, Massachusetts, August 4, 1917, the daughter of the late William and the late Nora (Lynch) McGauvran, she grew up in the Acre section of Lowell and was a graduate of the Academy of Notre Dame in the Class of 1935.
 Eager to further her education, Mary then went on to graduate with a Bachelor’s Degree in Education from Lowell State Teacher’s College (now known as UMass Lowell) in 1939, a Master’s Degree in Education in 1950 and a Doctorate in Education in 1955 both from Boston University.
 Mary taught in the Chelmsford and Newton Public Schools before returning to her alma mater in 1952, when she joined the Lowell State Teacher College Faculty as a Professor. She went on to serve as an administrator at Lowell State College and the University of Lowell in Admissions, Administration and most notably Vice President of Student Affairs, until her retirement in1987. Upon her retirement, the Board of Trustees agreed with the recommendation of the Student Government Association to name the south campus Student Union Building the Mary E. McGauvran Student Union Center.
 Mary also taught in the graduate school of Education at Boston University from 1957 to 1964 and was included in Who’s Who of American Women in 1959. She was granted professor emeritus status in 1988. 
 As a specialist in educational measurement, Mary co-authored the Metropolitan Reading Readiness Test and published several books and articles in her field. She received many citations and awards during her career and was most proud of the Commonwealth’s Citation for Outstanding Performance in 1986 and the Distinguished Alumni Award from the University in 1997.
 Mary served on the Statewide Assessment Committee and the Institution Review Committee of St. John’s Hospital. She was the Vice Chairperson for the Northeast Regional Education Council and a member and Chairperson on the Board of Directors, Academy of Notre Dame.
 Mary is survived by her dear friend, Mary (Monahan) La Bay and Mary La Bay’s three daughters, Judith N. Zanni of Tewksbury, Michelle M. Gugliuzza of Lawrence and Ruthann Marston and her husband William of Andover as well as several cousins in the Greater Lowell area.

Friends may call Monday morning at the O’DONNELL FUNERAL HOME, 276 PAWTUCKET ST. from 8:30 to 9:30 AM. Her Funeral Mass will follow at the IMMACULATE CONCEPTION CHURCH at 10 o’clock. Burial in St. Patrick Cemetery. E-condolences/directions at www.odonnellfuneralhome.com. Those wishing may make contributions in her memory to the U/Mass Lowell Graduate School of Education Fund, O’Leary Library, 61 Wilder St., Lowell, MA 01854 or the Academy of Notre Dame, 180 Middlesex Rd, Tyngsboro, MA 01879. Arrangements by Funeral Directors James F. O’Donnell, Jr. and John W. Crane (978 or 866) 458-8768.