Maureen Mary Laing Robinson

Mary Laing Robinson, beloved wife, mother, sister, teacher, and friend, entered into eternal life on Tuesday, October 28, 2025. She was surrounded by family and friends in a circle of peace, love, and prayer when she passed.  Her memory is a deep blessing to all who had the pleasure of knowing her. 

Born on January 18, 1956 in Montclair, New Jersey, Mary was the fifth of seven children of the late William and Alma (Spicer) Laing. Her childhood home on Cherry Street in West Orange was constantly overflowing with family, friends, conversation, laughter, music, food, and humor. Inspired by this atmosphere of hospitality, Mary always strove to make people feel abundantly welcome in her presence. She had a remarkable ability to connect closely with anyone and everyone, whether through a fleeting encounter at a grocery store or throughout a lifelong relationship. Everyone felt safe with, seen by, and loved by her. 

From an early age, Mary was immersed in the Catholic faith. Two of her uncles were Catholic priests and her parents were devout. Her faith expanded and deepened throughout her life, as she walked with Jesus, Mary, and a growing circle of saints. She participated in spiritual retreats, private and group prayer, pilgrimages, novenas, and daily Mass at Our Lady of the Mount. She constantly attempted to treat others as Christ. For years, she ran the St. James prayer chain, which deepened her connection to countless families and to the saints she prayed to for intercession. The saints were her friends, and she called on them constantly. 

(Please pause in your reading and invoke the blessings of a favorite saint for yourself, for Mary, and for her family). 

Mary went to Our Lady of Lourdes grammar school and Mountain High School. At Mountain High, she was named “Outstanding Girl Athlete,” and she successfully advocated for women’s teams to have equal time in the gym. She studied at Seton Hall University before completing her bachelor’s degree in Education at Montclair State. She pursued postgraduate studies at St. Elizabeth University. 

Mary had a lifelong love of literature and journalism, and she shared this passion as an English teacher with hundreds of students at Bloomfield High School, West Orange High School, and Dunellen High School, as well as with her family and friends. She offered dramatic readings of Poe’s “The Tell-Tale Heart” and Homer’s Odyssey, and she often recited snippets of literature as well as whole poems from memory, such as Emily Dickinson’s “I’m Nobody! Who Are You?” 

Mary also loved music, dancing, and humor. She would spontaneously break into song constantly, leading some to refer to her as a “human jukebox.” She had an Irish sense of humor, and she could turn anything into a joke, even during serious and solemn moments. She always loved to dance. 

Mary had a profound sense of reverence for all of creation. She cared deeply for animals throughout her life, including her childhood pets, Toto and Mac, as well as Stanley, Cosmo, and Lucy. She practiced vegetarianism for nearly 20 years, and she was known for her delicious soups, salads, pastas, and other meals. She loved spending time with the sunrise and the sunset, spending summers in Lavallette with her toes in the sand, and marveling at birds and flowers. 

Mary leaves behind her husband, Patrick Robinson, their three children, Patrick, James, and Mary Colleen, as well as her siblings, William (and his wife Lisa, and children, Erin and William), Alma (and her children, Joseph, Megan, Kelly, and Heather), and James (and his wife Joanne and his children, James and Christina), as well as three more nieces and nephews (Jessica, Katelyn, and Michael). She was preceded in death by her parents, William and Alma, her sisters Irene and Colleen, and her brother Joseph. 

Her visitation will be held on Monday, November 3rd from 3:00pm-5:00pm and from 6:00pm-8:00pm at Our Lady of the Mount Chapel, Warren, New Jersey. A funeral mass will be celebrated on Tuesday, November 4th at 11:00am at Our Lady of the Mount Chapel, Warren. Entombment will follow at Holy Cross cemetery, Basking Ridge. 

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in Mary’s name to Our Lady of the Mount Parish and /or  JBWS.

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Maureen Mary Laing Robinson, please visit our floral store.