Mary (Buongiorno) Dempsey, 91, of Fords, passed away peacefully at JFK Medical Center on April 18, 2021. She was born on January 8, 1930 in Queens, daughter of Elsie and John Buongiorno.  Mary was a School Teacher of the Woodbridge Board of Education. In her later adult years, she became a member of the Metuchen Assembly of God. She enjoyed birding and was a member of the National Ornithological Association.  She also embraced music, theater and art.   She taught as a teacher for adult CCD and served on the School Board of Adult Bible Study.  She enjoyed many seasons of music and art with her long- time friends with whom she had a very special bond.

Mary was predeceased by her husband, Gerald Dempsey, her son, John Dempsey, daughter, Francine E. Dempsey and her sister Vita (Buongiorno) Barnett.

She is survived by her niece, Ellen (Barnett) Papanikolaou, of
Goffstown, NH, married to Paul Papanikolaou.  Her three grandnephews, Andrew, Eric and Alexander, a great niece, Nicole, and a great-grandnephew, Bryson.  Mary also has a nephew, by marriage, William Dempsey; a great nephew, Michael Mestern, of Middletown DE and his wife, Annette and their two children, Ella and Nolan. Mary came from a large and loving family, she embraced her passion for family, religion and friends.

Visitation will be a t the Flynn and Son Funeral Home, 23 Ford Ave., Fords, NJ 08863, on Friday, April 23, 2021, 3-7 pm. Funeral Services will be at the Metuchen Assembly of God Church on Saturday at 9 am. Interment will follow in the Cemetery of the Holy Rood in Westbury, NY.