What's in a Name?

Lilly Rose McGee

Lilly Rose "Lilly" McGee- Irish-American ancestry; Lilly McGee was the late mother of Hannah Quigley and a former case manager who lived in the outskirts of New York and passed away from leukemia a few months before her daughter's fifth birthday. Like her daughter, she was highly imaginative and often described as having her head in the clouds and lacking in concentration. As a fourth generation Irish-American born and raised in the suburbs of Chicopee, Massachusetts, she was a friendly person who often felt inspired by new ideas and meaningful interactions. She had a shy, gentle and reserved nature that focused on what was harmonious and proved to be very mild-mannered and pacifistic. A defining characteristic of Lilly's from a young age was her deeply compassionate, magnanimous nature, as she was said to be "so gentle that even the animals loved her" according to stories from Hannah's grandmother Lois. She would offer a warm blanket to someone who was cold and rescue tiny creatures, such as slugs or ants, saving them from being flushed down the drain or drowning in a puddle of water. The daughter of Moira and Jack, a modest couple who owned a shoe shop, she was generally sweet-natured and agreeable and had a charitable spirit with a love of helping others. Perceptive and honest, she saw the best in everyone and had a vibrant spirit that was full of love for her environment and its surrounding people. Lilly's father had a beloved red pick-up truck known as the Kludge, which she and her siblings perceived as an extended part of their family. Her parents would measure the heights of each of their offspring upon a wall near the kitchen, with the most recent one marking her at eight years old. She visited the Guffaw Factory with Jack and the rest of her family as a kid and was excited to meet his favorite comedian, Fred the Farmer. 

Her "starter pack" was never quite complete without her umbrella, a bottle of hand sanitizer, an assortment of scrunchies, sticky notes, and her portable camera. Lilly was first seen sitting near the front desk at Glenwood Primary, holding onto a handcrafted plastic spork named "Forky" and wanting to see what her mother's friend was donating. An actual spork-turned-craft-project, Forky was a handmade toy made out of a disposable spork that she insisted was "not trash". Like Hannah, she had a similar pink stuffed elephant named Elsa that she received shortly before starting kindergarten, which allowed them to further connect. She played routinely with an Italian-American little girl named Hilda Balboa, an only child who came from a wealthy family, as well as the sons of a white couple from Alabama that lived just a few doors down from her. Lilly's caring nature could oftentimes be overwhelming for her, which is why it was necessary for her to gradually learn to establish healthy boundaries, especially as she grew older. As a result, she was frequently regarded as a "goody two-shoes" with her perfectionist tendencies and desire to please others. People felt comfortable confiding in her and came to her whenever they were seeking a sympathetic ear, as she liked to help others but didn't want to burden them with her problems. Her sense of wonder and creativity was only made more appealing by her engaging, warm personality, which her daughter would come to inherit. Despite being wise beyond her years, Lilly was always said to look and act younger than many of her peers and had a playfulness and childlike curiosity about her demeanor. She owned a pink radio and liked her Palm Pilot from the mid 90s, with her mother often mentioning that she was a sound sleeper. 

She was remarkably innovative and bright as a small child, finding enjoyment in going deep into her fantasy world, with an expansive and endless bout of intellect. She appeared to be innocent and slightly gullible and enjoyed immersing herself within her fantasies, often being seen strolling down the sidewalk with a wagon containing her extensive collection of 18 in. dolls. While she could appear mysterious and reserved on the outside, Lilly was often expressive and affectionate, brimming with imagination and passion on the inside. She was in community theater when she first began her work as an administrative assistant, but her career took up too much time to pursue it. She was an introverted person who was selective in terms of who she let into her life and generally took her time in warming up to others. Her dolls each had a unique name, ranging from "Maribel" to "Gunther", "Constable Ramirez",  "Giselle" and "little Tim-Tim", yet she considered her personal favorite to be a treasured rag doll with yarn braids whom she never went to sleep without named "Saxon". Lilly experienced bouts of melancholia growing up and frequently struggled with her looks, which became more prominent as she aged. These tendencies were due in part to her freckles and imperfect smile, which she perceived as flaws, feeling embarrassed about having to wear a retainer. While she was usually well-behaved and didn't receive too many punishments, she adopted a "bad girl" persona when her father grounded her for making a huge mess in the living room after he had finished mopping the floor. She later realizes that there is no shame in being vulnerable and admits to having a need to be in control of what is around her, only for her to gradually become more flexible. Lilly could also be practical whenever she needed to be and learned to cook at an early age, making eggs for herself in the mornings and preferring lightly toasted bagels, with butter.