Mary T. (Quinn) Schifferdecker

Mary T. (Quinn) Schifferdecker, 97, of Cambridge, MA, passed away on January 2, 2026, after a brief illness. She was the beloved wife of the late Joseph A. Schifferdecker.

Born in Cambridge on August 22, 1928, Mary was the eldest child of John J. and Catherine (Durant) Quinn. She graduated from St. John’s High School. In 1950, she married her childhood friend, Joseph A. Schifferdecker. Together they raised two children in Cambridge.

Mary loved crafting, writing poetry, and playing puzzles and board games; she always cheered for her family to win. She worked as a teacher’s assistant at the Peabody School and volunteered for many years as a Girl Scout Brownie troop leader. Mary was a devoted member of St. Peter’s Parish.

Known for her love of children, Mary welcomed nieces, nephews, and her children’s friends into her home with warmth and generosity. She adored her grandchildren and treasured family gatherings. In 1983, Mary and Joe purchased a home in Onset, MA, where she loved sitting in her lounge chair, gazing out at the water.

Mary is survived by her two children: her daughter, Mary C. Rizzuto and her husband Ron, and her son, Joseph F. Schifferdecker. She is also survived by three grandchildren—Maura Rizzuto and her husband Greg Ashe, Philip Rizzuto and his wife Casey Hewson, and Joseph M. Schifferdecker—and two great-grandchildren, Calvin and Natalie Ashe, along with many nieces, nephews, and cousins. She was predeceased by her sister, Gertrude Manion, and her “baby brother,” John Quinn, and his wife Marie.

Visiting hours will be held on Wednesday, January 7th, 2026, from 5:00 to 7:00 PM in the Brown & Hickey Funeral Home 36 Trapelo Road, Belmont, MA 02478. A Funeral Mass will be celebrated on Thursday, January 8th, 2026, at 10:00 AM in St. Peter’s Parish 100 Concord Avenue, Cambridge, MA 02138, followed by interment at Mt. Auburn Cemetery 580 Mt. Auburn St., Cambridge, MA 02138. 

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to St. Peter’s Parish, 100 Concord Avenue, Cambridge, MA 02138.

Rooted in faith and love, Mary touched countless lives with her warmth.

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