Mary Agnes Ahern was born at home on the family farm in rural Moody County, South Dakota, on May 7, 1932. She was the 4th of 6 children born to Francis & Vangie Ahern. Mary attended the Durland country school & Egan High School and was a cheerleader for all four years.
Working in the cafeteria while attending Northern State Teacher’s College, Mary met John
William (Bill) Catey. Bill had returned to Northern after serving in the Army. He loved to dance & was Catholic-two things that were on the top of her list. They married on August 22, 1955 in Brookings, SD. Their honeymoon was spent moving to Marysville, WA.
Mary taught in SD country schools for several years before getting married. In WA she taught in both the Marysville and Edmonds School Districts, pausing several years to raise her children. After her children were grown, Mary returned to college, attending Seattle University graduating with a bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education. She returned to teaching at St. Luke & St. Benedict Catholic Schools.
Bill & Mary were devout Catholics & founding members of St. Thomas More Parish in
Lynnwood, WA. Mary taught CCD, was Parish Council Secretary, active in the Ladies Guild,
Feed My Sheep ministry, & the Funeral Luncheon committee. She attended several Bible
Studies, was active in Cursillo, & was an avid reader of spiritual literature-she only wished she could retain more of what she read!
After teaching Mary worked at The Bon, Mervyn’s, & Fred Meyer. She & Bill wintered in AZ
for a few years until the grandchildren started coming. She took trips to Ireland, The Holy Land, Italy, Lourdes & Fatima as well as some family cruises.
Both Mary & Bill kept family ties to their home towns in SD by loading the kids in their station wagon most summers for a road trip ”home”. They continued to gather every other summer for over the past 30 years with Mary’s siblings & their families. She was able to attend the most recent reunion this past June in MN.
Mary loved being a Mom, Grandmother, & Great Grandmother. She had wonderful friends with whom she played bridge, took painting classes, was in a hiking group. Mary saved many of her memories with Creative Memories scrapbooking. She even wrote a book about her life & had it published – Memories of a South Dakota Farm Girl. She was a good cook & made sure all her children could cook & do laundry.
Family, faith & friends-Mary had it all. She lost her dance partner Bill last December after his long battle with Parkinson’s Disease. She made many new friends at Quail Park Lynnwood where she spent the last 11 months of her life.
Mary died October 22, surrounded by her children, daughter in law, grandson & granddaughter. She is survived by her four children: Colleen, Cathleen Hokoda (Steve), Bill (Joanne), & Tom (Daudette); 5 grandchildren: Mary (Daniel Chavez), Elizabeth (Sam Hewitt), Emma Hokoda, Megan Flora (Alex) & Jacob; four great grandchildren: Tacho Chavez, Harper Flora, Amelia, & Sebastian Hewitt; sister: Evangeline Henderson; sister-in-law: Margery Ahern, and many nieces & nephews.
A funeral Mass will be celebrated on Friday November 28, at St. Thomas More Parish
Lynnwood at 10:30 am, followed by lunch. There will be a family only burial at Holyrood
Cemetery in Shoreline.
Memorials can be made to the St. Vincent de Paul chapter at St. Thomas More Lynnwood or the Michael J. Fox Foundation (Parkinson’s).
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