Obituary: Mary Haggerty

Mary Haggerty

WESTBROOK – Known to most as Mary Carol, niece Inga described her perfectly: “One-of-a-kind, formidable, brave, bright, a visionary, protective, quick to laugh.” And what a laugh it was; the kind that filled rooms and was recognized by anyone who knew her.

Mary Carol Haggerty, 83, died peacefully in the early morning of Thursday, Aug. 7, 2025, under the thoughtful care of the doctors, nurses and staff at the Maine Medical Center in Portland.

The eldest of three, Mary Carol was born in Pittsburgh, Pa., to Wayne Woods, Lutheran Minister and Margaret Woods, homemaker/teacher/church soloist. In 1956, when Mary Carol was 14, Wayne moved the family to Takoma Park, Md., a suburb of Washington, D.C., where he led a successful effort to integrate Augustana Lutheran church, one of the first churches in the area to do so. Mary Carol attended the University of Maryland where she studied English Literature; reading was a lifelong passion and one of her greatest joys.

Mary Carol married David Paull in April of 1962 and in April 1964 had their only child, daughter Martha. Amicably, the young couple agreed to part in 1967 and in 1970, Mary Carol met Gerald “Big Jerry” Haggerty who would be her life partner and companion for 55 years. He brought to the relationship his daughter Erin and son (Little) Jerry. The family lived in Maryland until 1976 when, after taking a special vacation to Maine a few years earlier, Mary Carol and Jerry decided to pack it all up and move to Dennysville, where they ran an inn for 22 years. This would be Mary Carol’s crowning life achievement outside of the unwavering love she had for her family and friends.

Mary Carol is survived by husband Jerry; and children, Erin, Jerry, Martha and their spouses; her sister, Louise Rothrock and husband Gordon, her brother, Stephen Woods and wife Martha; cousins from both sides; nieces and nephews; and two grandchildren.

Mary Carol is remembered fondly by family, friends and colleagues as generous, thoughtful, compassionate, hard-working and devoted. She had a genuine love for humanity, was a fierce defender of the marginalized and was absolutely fearless in life.

A private ceremony took place in Dennysville, in October 2025, where Mary Carol’s ashes were spread in her beloved Dennys River.

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