Anita McGarrity Danis

BIDDEFORD – It is with a heavy heart we announce the passing of Anita M. Danis, on March 21, 2021 at St. Andre Health Care.

Anita was born on Sept. 7, 1921 to Thomas P. and M. Leonie (Huot) McGarrity in Biddeford. A graduate of Biddeford High School, she went on to work at the Saco Lowell Shop, where she met the love of her life Leo Paul Danis. On June 8, 1946, they married at St. Joseph’s church and shared 60 wonderful years. Paul would give her a rose for each year of their marriage.

Anita enjoyed being active and social. She was a member of St. Mary’s Sodality and the Hibernians. She showed her competitiveness while participating in many bowling leagues, well into her 80’s. She also enjoyed going on bus trips with Paul, watching the Red Sox (especially with her lifelong friend Margaret O’Neil), doing word-seek puzzles, eating ice cream (Maple Walnut or Butter Pecan), playing bingo, and most of all…….music! She remembered the words to all those songs!

Anita is lovingly survived by her four children, John (Shelley) Danis, Nancy (Bob) Bourque, Linda (Chip) Morris, and Mary Danis. In addition, she has six grandchildren, Derek (Kim) Danis, Amanda (Trevor) Black, Casey (Tina) Bourque, Jake (Jenn) Bourque, Matt (Alice) Morris, and Jaime (Alex) Hammond; and eight great-grandchildren, Lauren and Brady Danis, Haley and Morgan Black, Julia and Caroline Bourque, Charlotte Morris, and Weston Bourque.

Special thanks are extended to the staff at The Wardwell, for five years of loving care and support; St. Andre Health Care, whose devoted, compassionate staff offered so much love and kindness; and Compassus Hospice, for their support and guidance. Our gratitude is immense for all of you.

Funeral arrangements are being handled by Cote’s Funeral Home. A public graveside service will be held at St. Joseph’s Cemetery on Wednesday, March 31at 1 p.m. A celebration of her life will be held at a later date when it is safe to do so.

To view Anita’s memorial page or leave an online condolence please visit http://www.cotefuneralhome.com

In lieu of flowers, please feel free to generously donate in Anita’s memory to:

Activity Fund at either

The Wardwell or

St. Andre Health Care




Share your condolences, kind words and remembrances below. You must be logged into the website to comment. Subscribers, please login. Not a subscriber? Register to comment for free or subscribe to support our work.

Use the form below to reset your password. When you've submitted your account email, we will send an email with a reset code.