Anne Marie McIvor

Anne Marie McIvor (nee Gallagher) passed away peacefully on July 3, 2026, surrounded by her loving family.

Anne was the beloved wife of Joseph A. McIvor for 60 years, and the devoted mother of Joseph (Susan), Anne Marie McIvor - Linquata (Anthony), and Patricia McIvor-Mangino (David), and the loving Grandmother to Kathryn, Fiona, and Allison. She was the dear sister of Kathleen McDonnell (Frank), the late Brigid McParland (John) and the late Bernadette (infant). She was the beloved daughter of the late Patrick and Anne Gallagher and is also survived by many loving nieces and nephews.

Born in Falcarragh, (An Fál Carrach, also known as Na Crois Bhealaí = The Crossroads), County Donegal, Ireland, she was raised in the Irish speaking (An Ghaeltacht) Cloughaneely region of northwest Donegal. She was baptized at Saint Fionan’s Church and attended Saint Fionan’s National grade school in Falcarragh, then attended Letterkenny Vocational School for high school. Anne spent one year in Glasgow, Scotland living with her Uncle Joe and his wife, attending 5th grade at Saint Margaret’s Grade School where she learned to sing “Scotland the Brave” which she sang in her 80’s word for word when asked about her time in Scotland.

Before leaving for America, she was a waitress at the famous Sandhouse Hotel in Rossnowlagh, Donegal.

Mom emigrated to the United States in March of 1960 at the age of nineteen. The journey began when her family, friends and kind neighbors walked her to the end of Dunmore Road with tearful farewells, including her dear friend Sheila Green. She boarded the Lough Swilly bus to Derry city, then trained to Dublin where she caught a flight to Newark, NJ airport. Her first home was at her Uncle Paddy and Aunt Grace’s house in the West Oak Lane / Mount Airy section of Philadelphia, PA. In May of 1966 at the Shamrock Club in Upper Darby, PA she met her husband, Philadelphia Firefighter Joseph A. McIvor. They were married in Holy Cross Church (Mount Airy) in January 1967. They bought their first house in the Parkwood Manor section of Philadelphia, PA in 1968, raised their three children there, and were members of Saint Anselm’s Parish for 60 years. All three children attended Saint Anselm Grade School, Archbishop Ryan High School and attended University earning multiple degrees and professional certifications. She was most proud of her children and helping them afford and earn their education.

One of her first jobs in America was at Stouffers in Center City Philadelphia, where all the Irish girls worked. Mom later worked at her sister Kathleen’s pub, the Irish Rover Inn in Penndel, PA, for thirty plus years and made many friends there amongst her co-workers and customers.

When her children received Irish music voice messages, no words spoken, they knew that Mom had called. She was a devoted listener to Philadelphia’s Irish Hour radio show on Sunday mornings. The Hills of Glenswilly was one of her favorite songs and she made multiple trips back home to Donegal in her lifetime.

Used for last name recognition purposes, one of the funniest conversations her children had with her was after a local election when she informed them that she had not only won the election but would be representing Parkwood Manor as a Democratic Committeewoman Ward 66B. Her children didn’t know that she was on the ballot prior to the election. After the jokes subsided, her children began to realize that she wasn’t joking, looking up the election results online confirming that Mom (and Dad) was indeed elected to represent the neighborhood. This episode makes her family laugh to this day.

Mom would often recite poems to her children that she had learned in grade school, and witty sayings such as “Let’s say nothing and keep on saying it”, “Take care and comb your hair” and perhaps our most favorite “I hope that I don’t die in the fall, I’ll have to wait until the Philadelphia Eagles season is over to get buried.”

She was devoted to the Holy Rosary and slept with her beads and prayer cards under her pillow, she could be seen often praying the rosary on the front steps or in the backyard. When she was young, she would pray to the Holy Mother on the berm at the bottom of her family farm, asking Mary to appear like she did to the children at Fatima. Her prayers always seemed to deliver the desired results for family and friends.

Anne will be remembered for her devotion to her family, her Irish heritage, and the kindness and warmth she shared with everyone.

Relatives and friends are invited to her viewing on Monday, July 13, 2026, from 9:30 AM to 11:00 AM at St. Anselm Church, 12670 Dunks Ferry Road, Philadelphia, followed by her Funeral Mass at 11:00 AM. Interment will take place at Resurrection Cemetery.

Mass cards, flowers (the family will be ordering through Maureen's Flowers, www.maureensflowers.com ), or contributions to the Donegal Association in Anne's memory would be greatly appreciated.

Donegal Association of Philadelphia

P.O. Box 803

Broomall, PA 19008

https://venmo.com/philadonegaltr