Obituary of Maureen McMenamy Tassone

After a twenty-three-year battle with Metastatic Breast Cancer, on May 8, 2019, Maureen McMenamy Tassone, surrounded by her family, passed away peacefully at the William Childs Hospice House in Palm Bay, Florida. Maureen was born June 12, 1964 in Melbourne, Florida to James and Arlene McMenamy. In November 1987, she married the love of her life, Mark Albert Tassone. The happy couple settled in Palm Bay and became the proud parents of two sons; Mark Andrew Tassone and Myles James Tassone. Raised in Satellite Beach, Maureen graduated from Satellite High School in 1982. In 1986 she began her 32-year career as a teacher at Christa McAuliffe Elementary School after earning her Bachelor of Arts degree from University of Central Florida. Her Master of Education was earned in 1999, after which she passed the rigorous certification process and was awarded her credentials from the National Board Certification of Teachers. These led to Maureen’s selection as her school’s Media Specialist, a position which she held until her retirement. Maureen’s passion for teaching and her devotion to the students earned her many awards, including Teacher of the Year in 1996 and again in 2012. Hundreds of children, and even many of their children, were instilled with both a love of reading and computer sciences by her charismatic and humorous approach to education. Fellow teachers became life-long friends to this creative and caring co-worker who embraced life and lived it to its fullest. When Maureen was first diagnosed with breast cancer in 1996, she gave her doctors these instructions prior to her surgery: “I have a three-year-old and a six-year-old at home. All I want is to live to see my grandchildren.” Happily, her wish came true with the birth of her beloved granddaughter Kamryn in 2014. Two months later we celebrated Maureen’s 50th birthday with a large, fun-filled party…because OUR wishes had come true. Maureen was very active with the American Cancer Society and was an organizer for many years of Palm Bay’s Relay for Life. She captained her school’s team for this cause many of those years as well. We often tease her husband Mark that he had the best wife in the world. An avid, life-long Pittsburgh Steelers fan, Mark was able to convince Maureen to follow his passion for the team and every year for their wedding anniversary, they traveled to Pittsburgh to sit in the stands to cheer the Steelers on. Maureen was immensely proud of her family. They were her world. Loving wife of Mark, Mom to her two sons, Mark and Myles, and Gammy to her granddaughter, Kamy, she leaves behind nothing but happy memories. Maureen is also survived by her father, James McMenamy Sr., sister Michelle McMenamy New, brother James McMenamy Jr. and his wife, Michelle, and brother Joseph Patrick McMenamy and his wife, Teresa. Her surviving family also includes four nephews and three nieces, and two great-nephews and one great-niece. We would be remiss if we did not mention the army of friends, affectionately known as “Team Maureen” who will also forever miss our sweet girl. She is preceded in death by her mother Arlene Grubb McMenamy and niece, Amanda New Bowers. A Gathering will be held on Friday, June 7, 2019 from 5:00 to 8:00 p.m. at Ammen Family Cremation and Funeral Care, 950 Malabar Rd SE, Palm Bay, FL 32907. A Funeral Mass will be held on Saturday, June 8, 2019 at 10:00 a.m. at St. Joseph Catholic Church, 5310 Babcock St NE, Palm Bay, FL 32905.