Mary Virginia Harney of Oak Bluffs, died peacefully at Martha’s Vineyard Hospital on Jan. 4. She was 88 and was the wife of the late John J. Harney Jr. with whom she had four children

She was born April 7, 1924 in Cambridge, the daughter of Patrick and Mary Faherty Tangney. After moving to Derry, N.H. as a child, Mary attended Derry schools, including her much-loved Pinkerton Academy. During World War II she welded submarines for the U.S. Navy as a civilian worker at the Boston Naval Shipyard. She was later employed at the New England Life Insurance Company and New England Telephone Company where she was a member of the Pioneers and a labor activist who organized her workplace and later served as a steward with the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW).

In the 1960s she fell in love with Martha’s Vineyard and eventually settled full time in Oak Bluffs. There she spent much of her time gardening but most enjoyed spending time with her children and grandchildren, always taking pride in their accomplishments. Her wonderful sense of humor and love will be missed by all who knew her.

She is survived by her children Mary Osgood and her husband Charles of Wilmington, Anne Harney and her husband Harvey Cantor of Wellesley, John Harney and his wife Laurie Collins of Kensington, Md., and Paul Harney and his wife Joanne of East Falmouth; grandchildren Charles and Sean Osgood of Wilmington, Craig Osgood of Burlington, Vt., Andrew Cantor of Miami, Fla., Lizzie Cantor of Brooklyn, N.Y., Ana and Colin Harney of Kensington, Md., and Jennifer and Jack Harney of East Falmouth. She was pre-deceased by her brothers Robert Tangney and Joseph Tangney.

Services will be private at the convenience of the family. In lieu of flowers the family requests that donations be made to Hospice of Martha’s Vineyard, P.O. Box 1748, Vineyard Haven, MA 02568. Arrangements are under the care of the Chapman, Cole and Gleason Funeral Home in Oak Bluffs.