Dorothy Jane McGrath - Obituary

orothy Jane McGrath, affectionally known as "Jane" to friends and family, passed away peacefully at her home in Fort Washington, MD at the age of 101, surrounded by family. She was born on March 15, 1925, in Garfield Heights, Ohio, to Maurice J. Kelly and Dorothy G. Kelly (Eierman). She had one younger brother, Robert “Bob” J. Kelly, who preceded her in death last fall. Growing up, Jane shared a special bond with her maternal grandparents, Samuel “Sam” Eierman and Anna Eierman, whom she lovingly called “Gommy,” a name that reflected a connection that was part grandmother and part mother. Her grandparent’s youngest daughter, Geraldine was like a sister to her. Jane’s childhood in Ohio was filled with music, family and time outdoors. She and her brother often listened to both their parents play the piano, and they enjoyed sledding and ice skating during the Ohio winters. They also shared a deep love of animals and were known to bring home stray animals that their mother, fortunately, would allow them to keep. Jane loved to tell the story of her mother checking on her at night and finding two heads on the pillow, one belonging to Jane and the other to the family dog. She attended St. Timothy School in Cleveland. Jane’s grandfather was connected by marriage to Michael Uline, who owned a large Ohio ice company, a major industry in the days before modern refrigeration. Mr. Uline sent her grandfather to Washington, DC to open a branch of the company, and Jane moved with her grandparents when she was in the ninth grade. She went on to graduate from the Academy of Notre Dame in Washington, DC, and later worked as a bookkeeper. It was in Washington, DC, that Jane met her future husband, Frederick "Fred" Albert McGrath Jr. Their relationship started with letter writing during World War II while Fred was serving in the South Pacific. In 1947, they were married at St. Dominic’s Catholic Church in Southwest DC, a parish with great significance to their family. Their loving marriage lasted 72 years, until Fred’s passing in 2019. Jane and Fred welcomed their first child, Frederick "Fred" Albert McGrath, III, in 1953, at which point Jane became a stay-at-home mother. In 1956, they welcomed their second son, Patrick “Pat” Kelly McGrath. Pat’s life was tragically cut short at the age of 15 in an automobile accident, a loss that deeply shook their close-knit family for the rest of their lives. Over the following decades, Jane supported her husband as he became a successful businessman through a series of ventures, most notably in the rental housing business. Together they built their dream home in 1972 along the Potomac River, where both lived until the day they joined the Lord. It was in that home that Jane helped raise her two grandsons, Fred and Ryan, while their parents were at work, giving them care, love and attention throughout their childhood. Jane spent many cherished vacations with her children and grandchildren at their beach house in Ocean City, MD, a place that had been part of their lives since it was built in 1966, and which remained a gathering place for countless summers, holidays and treasured memories. As Jane entered her later years, Fred and his wife, Cindy, worked tirelessly to surround her with compassionate care, comfort, and love. Following Fred’s passing from cancer, six months before Jane, Cindy, together with an extraordinary team of loving and devoted caregivers - Tina, Dawn, Paula and Kaylee - made it possible for Jane to remain in the home she loved. She lived a long and extraordinary life. Born when the Model T was still in production, she lived to witness the evolution of the automobile, all the way to the age of fully autonomous driving. Her life spanned seventeen presidents, the Great Depression, World War II, and more than a century of change in American life. Through it all, Jane remained devoted to faith and her family. Jane’s endearing smile, quick wit and unfailing love will be deeply missed by all who knew her. Her family takes comfort in knowing that she lived a full and remarkable life and is now reunited in Heaven with her beloved husband, her two sons, and the many loved ones who went before her. She is survived by her daughter-in-law, Cynthia L. Costenbader, MD; her grandsons, Frederick P. McGrath and Ryan P. McGrath; and her granddaughter-in-law, Cara M. McGrath. Jane’s celebration of life will take place on Tuesday, May 26. A viewing will be held at St. Dominic’s Catholic Church in Southwest Washington, DC, at 9:30 a.m., followed by a Mass of Christian Burial at 10:30 a.m. Burial will take place immediately afterward at Resurrection Cemetery in Clinton, Maryland. A reception will follow in Alexandria. There will be a reception following the burial at Chart House in Alexandria, Virginia. All are welcome to attend.