Mary Bridget Moran

Mary Moran, 78, passed away peacefully on Tuesday, October 7, 2025, at her home in New York City, with her husband by her side. She was a beloved wife, mother, sister, aunt, friend, colleague, nurse, mentor, educator, and humanitarian. Her warmth, curiosity, and deep sense of compassion shaped the values that would guide her extraordinary life.

Mary was born on February 16, 1947, in Cornfield, County Mayo, Ireland, to the late Peter and Marie Moran and raised alongside her four brothers, John, Michael, Peter, and Paddy. As a young woman, Mary left Ireland, beginning a life of global service that would bring her to the Sudan where she met the love of her life, Gebremedhin Ambaye. They married in Gedaref in 1986 and eventually settled in Washington Heights, New York City. Together they raised their sons, Bsrat and Haftom, creating a home built on love, generosity, and community.

Mary is survived by her husband and sons; her four brothers; her niece Karina and grand-niece and nephew, Lizzy and Lewis; her nephew Johnny and grand-niece and nephew, Sally and Jake; and loved ones across continents whose lives she touched.

Mary's life was defined by her commitment to caring for others—locally, nationally, and globally - dedicating her long career to nursing and global health. She began her nursing training in Ballinrobe, County Mayo, continuing in England at the South Manchester School of Nursing and at Lady Spencer-Churchill College in Oxford. Her commitment to service eventually led her to New York, where she continued to pursue academic excellence: completing her B.A. at Marymount Manhattan College (1987), a Master of Public Health at Columbia University (1991), and her M.S. as a Family Nurse Practitioner at Columbia University School of Nursing (2008).

Mary joined New York-Presbyterian Hospital-Cornell Medical Center where she served for more than four decades as a nurse clinician. She trained and mentored nurses, supported families, and earned multiple honors for excellence in critical care, patient education, and leadership. Her colleagues knew her as a patient advocate, a compassionate healer, and a dedicated educator who brought grace and intelligence to every challenge.

In addition to her clinical leadership, Mary shared her gifts for more than 25 years as an Instructor in Nursing at Columbia University School of Nursing. Her unwavering dedication to her students and to the Columbia community was marked by her wit, warmth, and deep compassion. A visionary educator, Mary transformed challenges into moments of learning with humor, insight, and steady guidance. She advanced nursing education through groundbreaking work in global and community health and through her leadership in simulation-based clinical training—preparing more than a thousand students to serve with skill, cultural humility, and empathy. She also brightened her colleagues' days with her signature warm greetings, favorite Irish quips, and beautiful smile.

Mary's commitment to global health began early in her career and continued throughout her life. Working in the 1980-90s with the International Rescue Committee/Doctors Without Borders, UNHCR, and UNICEF, Mary served in Sudan, Ethiopia, Somalia, and Zaire during times of famine, conflict, and health crisis. She trained health workers, coordinated refugee evacuations, established cholera treatment programs, and strengthened public health systems in some of the world's most vulnerable regions.

In 2009, Mary founded Girls2Women, a nonprofit dedicated to advancing girls' education in rural Ethiopia. Through this initiative, she worked to ensure that young women had access to menstrual health supplies—empowering them to remain in school and continue their education without interruption. Girls2Women became a beacon of hope and opportunity for girls who might otherwise have been denied the chance to pursue their dreams, reflecting Mary's profound belief in education as a path to independence, equity, and dignity.

Her distinguished contributions were recognized through numerous honors, including the 2023 Academy of Community and Public Service Certificate of Membership, the 2023 Distinguished Alumni Neighbors Humanitarian Award, her 2022 induction into the American Academy of Nursing, the 2016 Faculty Member Excellence Award from Columbia University School of Nursing, and the 2010 Innovations in Nursing Leadership Award from Sigma Theta Tau International. Mary's legacy lives on in the countless students and colleagues she inspired, who continue to carry forward her wisdom, compassion, and indomitable spirit.

Mary was also deeply rooted in her local community. She volunteered at neighborhood clinics and homeless shelters, organized Stop the Bleed trainings, planted daffodils, and raised funds for tree fencing and other beautification projects. She believed in strengthening community from the ground up.

Beyond her professional achievements, Mary cherished life's simple joys: walking in parks and by the ocean, listening to birds, exploring museums, creating jewelry, and traveling with her family. She moved through the world with kindness, curiosity, and gratitude.

Mary carried an unwavering belief that every challenge held the seed of possibility. Her determined, hopeful nature—her gift for saying yes to service, to justice, to learning, and to life—will continue to shine through the countless people she inspired. In this way, her tireless, "can-do" spirit endures, not only as memory, but as a living force in the world she helped shape.

A memorial service will be held at 2:00 pm on Friday, November 14, 2025, at St. Francis Cabrini Shrine, 701 Fort Washington Avenue, New York, with a reception immediately to follow at Columbia School of Nursing, 560 W 168th Street. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that contributions be made to support Mary's favorite causes.

Rest in peace, Mary. May your generous soul and radiant light continue to guide us.