18 Aug. 2003 "100th Birthday, Mass and reception" at Sacred Heart Catholic Church, Prescott, AZ

FAHEY -- VEGA P. FAHEY One of this city's oldest and most interesting residents, Vega Patricia Fahey, died on September 13, 2010, following a stroke. She celebrated her 107th birthday on August 18, 2010 at the same time she published her memoir, "A Walk in the Footprints of Love," which was reported on NBC's 5:00 News. Mrs. Fahey was a resident of St. Mary Rest Home for four years where she completed the writing of her book begun in the 1960's. She was born in Brooklyn, graduated from Bay Ridge High School and New York University. She was a public school teacher in New York City schools for 15 years and continued tutoring for many years. Twice widowed, she first married J. Raymond McMahon, a prominent attorney in Democratic politics in New York, who died in 1946 at age 44. She met her second husband, Charles Edward Fahey, on a trip to Mexico. He was the tour guide and later an executive in travel and banking divisions of American Express. They lived for 26 years in Mexico where she began creating material for a future book. A devout Catholic since age 19, Mrs. Fahey was instrumental in the development of two organizations devoted to aid the indigent native Indians in remote provinces of Mexico. She served as public relations, publicity and fundraising director for both organizations, which resulted in houses made of stone instead of cactus,roads insead of horse trails,and food brought to millions for the Catholic Relief Services in the US. She and her husband also opened their home in Mexico City to visiting prelates from the US and missionaries in Central America. The Faheys retired to Guadalajara for five years before returning to the US permanently in 1973. The Faheys lived in Prescott, Arizona, until he died there in 1983. They were active members of Sacred Heart Catholic Church. Mrs. Fahey also lived in Prescott from 1994 to 2006. She did extensive volunteer work in the community,at one time recording the oral histories for patients in a nearby nursing home. Her early work in theater lead to some assignments in radio and video. Mrs. Fahey first lived in Albuquerque from 1985 to 1994 and again from 2006 to the present. Here she was an active member of the Immaculate Conception Catholic Church. Because of her volunteer work for the Sisters of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mrs. Fahey was invited to join that order as a lay member or 'cojourner.' Mrs. Fahey is well known to the business and office community in downtown ABQ from her frequent visits to the Roma Bakery and Deli at Roma and 7th Sts., where she often 'held court.' Survivors include a niece, Anne W. Bearman, Laguna Niguel, California; nephews, William Sandberg, Costa Mesa, and Robert Sandberg, La Crescenta, California; grandnewhew, Richard G. Bearman; grandnephew, Charles Alexander Simpson, Gresham, Oregon; great-grandnephews, David, Chris and Carl Simpson, Gresham, Oregon, and numerous caring friends. Information on how to obtain the book, "A Walk in the Footprints of Love," by Vega P. Fahey is available by writing to remmiks1@cox.net. Services will be held at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church on Saturday, 10:30 a.m., October 9, 2010.
Published on: Thu September 16, 2010