Mary Masino, 76, mother of seven

Mary Collins was hanging out one day in their South Philadelphia neighborhood with a cousin, Flossie Druding, when she made a life-shaping revelation.

"She said she didn't like being an only child," her son Francis said.

" 'When I get married, I'm going to have seven children,' " she told her cousin.

A bit of unexpected determination, perhaps, for a 15-year-old.

On Saturday, July 26, Mary Collins Masino, 76, of Brigantine, N.J., mother of seven, died of cancer at Seacrest Village, the nursing and rehabilitation center in Little Egg Harbor, N.J.

Mrs. Masino grew up near Second and Porter Streets, her son said, and cousin Flossie lived near Third and Wolf Streets.

"She loved hanging out with her cousins," her son said, all seven of them.

"And she thought that would be a good number."

Mrs. Masino graduated from John W. Hallahan Catholic Girls' High School in 1955 and, before marrying, worked for four years as a secretary for a shipping company on the Delaware River.

Though the children came quickly - a set of twins within the first year - her son said "she was an absolute rock. She was quiet, but firm."

A member of St. Thomas the Apostle Church in Brigantine for 20 years, she didn't have time for responsibilities outside the home.

"She went from being a mother to being a grandmother. She was pretty much the day care," he said, for all the younger ones.

But she did make time to be a member of the Pat Campitelli Lodge in Brigantine of the Order Sons of Italy in America.

Besides her son, Mrs. Masino is survived by son James, daughters Sister Catherine Irene Masino, Irene Porch, Joyce Kesel, and Susan and Nancy Masino, and four grandchildren. Her husband, Anthony, died in 2010.

Viewings were set from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Friday, Aug. 1, and 9 to 10 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 2, both at the Keates Plum Funeral Home, 3112 Brigantine Ave., Brigantine.

A 10:20 a.m. eulogy at St. Thomas the Apostle Church, 331 Eighth St. S., Brigantine, is to be followed by a 10:30 a.m. Funeral Mass there.

Donations may be sent to Camilla Hall Nursing Home, Box 100, Immaculata, Pa. 19345-0100 or http://camillahall.org.

Condolences may be offered to the family at www.keatesplum.com.