Mrs. Mary Elizabeth (Toohey) Silva, of Dennis, MA, formerly of West Concord, MA, died February 19, 2017. She was born July 1, 1928 in Lowell, MA. She had a fiery, independent spirit who covered every inch of her walls at home with photos of her cherished family. She taught us all to live by her personal motto of "Love is Forever." "Grandma Mary" was the daughter of the late Peter and Mary (Sullivan) Toohey. She graduated from Lowell High School in 1947. She was an avid piano player and studied at the Boston Conservatory of Music. In 1950 she married her beloved husband, Naval Veteran and Corrections Officer at MCI Concord, Joseph R. Silva, who preceded her in death in 2001. She said that happiness was loving her husband for over fifty years. A loving homemaker, Mary raised six children. Mary and Joe nursed their son Bobby, who died of AIDS in 1987, and honored his life by sewing a quilt for the AIDS Memorial in Washington, DC in 1988. She dedicated hundreds of hours as a volunteer at Emerson Hospital and Cape Cod Hospital. Mary is survived by her sisters Sheila Stapanowich and husband Frank, and Kathleen Davis and husband Richard; brothers Daniel Toohey, and Peter Toohey and his wife Pat; many loving nieces and nephews; five children, Kathleen Allen and husband Lester of Yarmouth, MA; Joseph Silva of Concord, MA; Michael Silva and wife Ana Wiswell of Clinton, MA; John Silva and wife Kathy of Methuen, MA; and Daniel Silva and wife Mary Jane of Acton, MA; her "favorite" grandchildren, Robert Gilfeather and wife Tammy, Russell Allen and wife Maureen, Graham Allen, Gabrielle Duchette and husband Patrick, Jennifer Silva and husband Ahrum Lee, and Michael, Christopher, David, and Mark Silva; and great grandchildren Emalee Peterson, Caleb McPherson, Jocelyn Duchette, and the light of her life, Maxine Allen God blessed us with this amazing woman. Friends and family will celebrate Mary's life at visiting hours on Thursday February 23rd from 4 to 7 pm at the Dee Funeral Home, 27 Bedford Street, Concord Center. Funeral will be held Friday Feb. 24th from the Dee Funeral Home at 9 am followed by a funeral Mass in Holy Family Parish, Monument Square, Concord Center at 10 am. Interment will follow in the family burial plot in St. Bernard's Cemetery, Concord. In lieu of flowers, please send donations to Aids Action Committee 75 Armory St, Boston, MA 02119.