Mary Teresa Smith (nee Hughes) March 31, 1944 – June 28, 2026
Mary Teresa Smith, 82, of Owings, Maryland, passed away peacefully on June 28, 2026, surrounded by her loving family.
Born in the village of Curraghadooey near Claremorris, County Mayo, Ireland, to William and Josephine (Mullaney) Hughes, Mary was the eldest of six children. She is survived by her siblings Patrick Hughes, John Hughes, and Tina DeLeon (Hughes), and was preceded in death by her brothers Tommy Hughes and Brian Hughes.
In 1962, at the age of 18, she left Ireland for the United States, sponsored by her aunt Bridie McCabe of Forest Hills, Queens, New York. She settled in New York City and proudly worked for the New York Telephone Company (later Verizon) for 35 years until her retirement in 1997. She also worked part-time as an office manager for Dr. Andrew Ruisch in Wyckoff, New Jersey from the mid-1990s through the 2000s, and after retiring from Verizon, she continued part-time as an office manager for her brother-in-law Mony DeLeon at NYU in New York City.
A devoted mother, Mary raised her children — daughter Deborah Marie Smith and son Robert John Smith — with love.
Mary is survived by her children Deborah Marie Smith and Robert John Smith (and his wife Leah and her children Nick Karvelas, Alec Karvelas, and Ciera Landreth (Karvelas)), grandsons Christian Michael Smith and Zayne Patrick Smith, and many extended family members and friends in Ireland, New York, Florida, and Maryland. She was preceded in death by her parents William and Josephine Hughes.
A viewing will be held on Thursday, July 2, 2026, from 5:00 PM to 7:00 PM at Rausch Funeral Home, 8325 Mt. Harmony Ln, Owings, MD 20736, followed immediately by a memorial service.
Flowers may be sent to the funeral home.
