By Dan Murphy
Marie R. (Callahan) Alves, a former Charlestown resident who remained steadfastly devoted to the neighborhood throughout her life, died on Dec. 28 at the Kaplan Family Hospice House in Danvers. She was 88 years old.
Born in Boston on Oct. 30, 1937, Marie was the daughter of the late Timothy Callahan and Kathryn (Donahue) Callahan. She grew up in Charlestown, where she was educated in the Boston Public Schools system and graduated from Archbishop Cushing High School.
While Marie and her family would leave Charlestown in 1983 to move to Beverly, she remained devoted to her old neighborhood throughout her life.
“Mom always said, ‘once a Townie, always a Townie,” wrote Marie’s daughter, Maura Donahue, in an email. “She repeated it daily after asking anyone she saw if they were Townies. It was a reassuring thought for her.”
Marie was especially committed to the Bunker Hill Monument Association, serving in a variety of roles, including as its vice president and later as de facto archivist for the longstanding nonprofit. She was also instrumental in helping to establish the Bunker Hill Museum, which tells the story of the Battle of Bunker Hill through refurbished dioramas and other artifacts.
Bill Foley, current co-president of Bunker Hill Monument Association, became a close friend of Marie’s and her husband, John J. “Jack” Alves, during Foley’s 30-year tenure with the National Parks Service, serving as manager of the Navy Yard and other Charlestown sites.
When Marie was in the role of vice president of the Bunker Hill Monument Association, Foley got to know her well through events and activities held at the Monument.
“Marie was instrument in the early days, making the Monument Association what it is today, and working with National Parks Service to get a museum up across from the Monument,” Foley recalled. “She wasn’t your average volunteer, and she really took on a lot of major projects that enhanced the future growth of the Monument Association.”
Annette Tecce, past president of the Monument Association, recalls the invaluable feat Marie accomplished in documenting the organization’s extensive archives by photographing and cataloguing each item in the archives.
Tecce described Marie’s contribution in her role as the organization’s archivist as being among the “highlights in documenting Charlestown’s important history.”
Marie also arranged to have a number of pieces framed for the Bunker Hill Museum, including original submissions from the competition held for the design of the Monument, added Tecce.
“She was a giver,” said Tecce of Marie during a phone interview. “She gave to her family, and she gave to her community, even though she wasn’t living in Charlestown anymore.”
Marie also served as chairperson of the Charlestown Bicentennial, a member of the Charlestown Historical Society, and founder of the Bunker Hill Community Museum. She was a member of the Charlestown Schoolgirls Association and was also very active in the Charlestown Militia, for which she made all of the costumes.
“Mom enjoyed dressing in Colonial garb,” recalled daughter, Donovan. “As part of the Ctown militia 1968-1976, sewing militia outfits (ladies group created all outfits for families, marching in the parade (with militia or local politicians) and managing both Charlestown’s bicentennial (1975), opening the Museum and Charlestown’s 300th anniversary celebrations.”
In 1975, Marie even assisted then-Mayor Kevin White in staging an extravagant Colonial ball.
“I truly thought Mom was royalty in her Emerald Green gown (hoop skirt, velvet choker, and a small, handsewn matching purse),” wrote Donvan. “Watching my mother come down the front stairs of our house on Sullivan Street is a core memory. Seeing my parents head to Boston City Hall for the Bicentennial ball as a 10-year-old was quite the enchanting evening!”
Besides her tireless work in Charlestown, Marie led a very active social life, and she will be fondly remembered as a homemaker who always cared for her beloved family.
“Mom liked to tell all seven of her granddaughters they were her favorite, but only Patrick, her only grandson, could truly say he was her favorite grandson,” wrote Donovan.
Marie was the beloved wife of 67 years of John J. “Jack” Alves, and the devoted mother of Vicky Marshall and her husband, Ted; Dawn Byrnes and her husband, Michael; Maura Donahue and her husband, Scott; and the late John J. “Jay” Alves Jr. and his surviving wife, Janet. She was loving grandmother to Megan, Ashley, Lauren, Amanda, Janelle, Alexandra, Emily, her favorite grandson Patrick, and to her great-granddaughter Scarlett Rose. She was also the dear sister of Kathleen Callahan, Deborah Forrest, Dan Callahan, and the late Timothy Callahan, Michael Callahan, and her beloved twin sister, Jean Walsh.
Marie’s Funeral Mass was held on Jan. 5 in St. Mary’s Church in Charlestown. In lieu of flowers, kindly make a memorial donation in Marie’s name to:
The Friends of Ryan “Duce” Morrissey Scholarship Fund
P.O. Box 290009
Charlestown, MA 02129