Mary T. Dugan, who worked diligently to improve the lives of the mentally disabled through her work with the Arc of Maryland, died Monday of lung cancer at her Severna Park home. She was 70.
Mary Teresa Murray was born in Huntington, N.Y. and raised in Ozone Park., N.Y. After graduating in 1955 from Dominican Commercial High School in Jamaica, N.Y., she did office work for Union Carbide Corp. in New York City.
While working at Union Carbide, she met Thomas G. Dugan, who she married in 1961. They moved to Laurel in 1965.
That year, she went to work as staff assistant to state Sen. John J. "Jack" Garrity and remained with him after he was appointed in 1982 as a judge to the Maryland Court of Special Appeals. She retired in 1987.
Mrs. Dugan was long interested in the plight of the mentally disabled, because a son, Thomas K. Dugan, was mentally disabled.
She was chairwoman of the governmental affairs committee of the Arc of Prince George's County and was co-chairwoman of the governmental affairs committee for the Arc of Maryland.
She also had been president of of the Maryland Association of Retarded Citizens.
In recognition of her years of advocacy, Mrs. Dugan was presented the Bernard A. Gould Award.
Mrs. Dugan's celebration of her Irish heritage included drinking daily cups of Barry's, an Irish tea.
"She liked anything that connected her to her Irish heritage," said her son-in-law, Mark S. Hoelk of College Park. "She took multiple trips to Ireland to visit relatives who still live there."
Mrs. Dugan, who moved to Severna Park two years ago, also enjoyed reading and taking trips with her family.
She was a communicant of St. Nicholas Roman Catholic Church, 8603 Contee Road, Laurel, where a Mass of Christian burial will be offered at 10 a.m. Friday.
In addition to her husband, a retired Legg Mason stockbroker, survivors include a son, Michael D. Dugan of Columbia; two daughters, Kerry M. Dugan of Chicago and Marybeth Dugan of College Park; and a grandson. Her son, Thomas, died in 1999.
fred.rasmussen@baltsun.com