Maria Shea Moody, formerly of West Tisbury, died on Oct. 11 at the Martha’s Vineyard Hospital. She was 89.

She was born March 20, 1933 at St. Elizabeth’s Hospital in Brighton to Marion and Austin Shea. She grew up in Newton at the home her father built in the early 1940s. She attended public school with her younger siblings, Michael and Brenda.

She attended Northeastern University and earned a bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering. She also met her future husband Kaye Moody while attending school.

After graduating she worked at the Leary Lab for several years until her son Herbert was born.

Maria enjoyed riding on the back of Kaye’s motorcycle and taking trips in the car. She loved being outdoors, especially when gardening and bird watching. She loved making stained glass. She was an accomplished tennis player.

She and Kaye owned land in West Tisbury and moved to the Vineyard in the late 1980s.

After living in a summer camp for years, they finally built a house. During this time, Kaye worked as an anesthesiologist at the Martha’s Vineyard Hospital.

Kaye suffered a major stroke and Maria became his caregiver. She was helped by her best friend Jenny Oliver. Jenny and Edley were very close friends to Maria, their bond cemented by a mutual love of plants and their beloved collies Zuess, Ziggy, Bubba and Merle. After Kaye’s death in 2006, Maria enjoyed her home and yard in West Tisbury.

She suffered a major stroke in 2015. Her son and his wife Lisa Bassett moved in with her and became her caregivers. When she needed more care, she moved to the Henrietta Brewer House and then to Windemere Nursing Home & Rehabilitation Center. She enjoyed the support and friendship of a close group of friends and family at Windemere. She was an avid reader and greatly appreciated all the books brought to her. Her family gives special thanks to those who visited regularly and supported her there.

She had a knack for friendships and had countless friends throughout her life because of her unlimited generosity and kindness. She enjoyed long talks on the phone with long-distance friends and family. She will be greatly missed by all.

Maria is survived by her son Herbert and by her sister Brenda Rowley of Corvallis, Ore.

She was predeceased by her beloved husband Kaye and her brother Michael.