Maria V. Siegfried

So. Weymouth – Maria Veronica Siegfried (Welch), 53, went to eternal glory on December 11, 2024 at home surrounded in divine grace beside her loving family. The beloved and cherished bride of 25 years to John Siegfried, and nurturing mother and best friend to their children, Jay and Megan, Maria was the loving daughter of Patricia Welch (Mashpee), and the late Dr. Robert Welch. She was the devoted sister of Megan (Carlos) Alayo of Kirkand, WA; Robert (Helene) Welch of Orlando, FL, and John (Debbie) Welch of Virginia Beach. Beloved daughter-in-law of Margo and Ed Siegfried, Hingham; and adored sister-in-law to Jane Watson (Marc), Hanover; Emily Elliott (James), Hanover, and favorite aunt to her 16 nieces and nephews. 

Maria began her life in Cumberland RI, graduating from Bishop Feehan High School in 1989 and receiving a B.A. from Assumption College in 1993. Spending summers on Cape Cod with her family, she met the love of her life, John, at age 12 in Popponesset Beach and the two were married in June, 1999. Her early career in business management at Filene’s Basement Downtown Crossing, Boston; MCI Worldom and Nortel preceded motherhood, at which time Maria stepped away from the corporate world to raise Jay and Meg full-time, as nothing brought her heart more joy than being surrounded by her children. 

Maria began a secondary vocation as a pre-school teacher when her children went off to elementary school, working for 15 years at Wilder Nursery School in Hingham, where she truly found her calling. Her natural and instinctive gentleness, creativity, aptitude for teaching and love for children was a gift to the hundreds of little ones she nurtured and taught over the years, forming friendships with countless families on the South Shore. 

Maria’s Catholic faith was integral to who she was. Her walk with Jesus led to her involvement in her home parish, Sacred Heart and Sacred Heart School in Weymouth landing, where she happily led the parish’s Home and School Board and served on both the Santa’s workshop committee and as co-CYO Athletic Program Coordinator with John. She found immense joy in her involvement in the Catholic community of St. Basil’s Salvatorian Center, Methuen, serving on many Cursillo team weekends and forming relationships there with many who became like family to her.

Maria enjoyed time in the early years of her marriage living on the water in Lakeville with John and enjoying time on their boat every summer and skating on Long Pond in the winters. In 2001, the couple made their forever home in South Weymouth and summered in Popponesset Beach with their extended families. As their children grew, Maria, John, Meg and Jay were often together on the waters of Cape Cod, fishing, tubing and taking trips to the Vineyard together. Her love for the beach led the family to enjoy many tropical vacations together, and enjoying the fireworks over Popponesset Bay for more than 40 years.  

Maria’s heart and soul were in the times she was with her family, whether visiting with her mom and her late Pop every week on Cape Cod, having an impromptu dinner with her in-laws, traveling to spend vacations with her siblings; daily snuggle time with Meg and Jay, or curled up beside John and their pup Cooper at home. Her charisms of kindness, gentleness, patience, faith and love enabled her to closely bond her family together and drew her many friends to her loving heart. She will be missed more than words could ever, ever express, but her legacy of faith and goodness will live on in her children, and in the hearts of all who loved Maria. 

Visiting hours will be held at McDonald Keohane Funeral Home, 809 Main Street, (Rte.18), Weymouth on Wednesday, Dec. 18 from 4-8PM. 

A Mass of Christian Burial will take place on Thursday, Dec. 19th at 10:30 AM at Sacred Heart Parish, Weymouth/Our Lady Queen of Peace Collaborative. 

In celebration of Maria’s favorite ministries, donations in her memory can be made to St. Basil’s Salvatorian Center, Methuen; and Sacred Heart Parish/Our Lady Queen of Peace Collaborative, Weymouth.