Mary T Driscoll

Mary Therese Kelly Driscoll died June 8th in the loving arms of her family.
Mary was born August 15, 1931 at St. Mary’s Hospital in Walla Walla, Washington. Her parents were Edward and Maybelle Barry Kelly. Edward emigrated from Ireland to New York when he was 16 years old. Maybelle was born in Iowa to Irish parents.
Mary attended St. Patrick’s Grade and High School in Walla Walla and was crowned the first “Miss Walla Walla” her senior year of high school in 1949.  She attended the University of Oregon and was a member of Alpha Chi Omega sorority.  She married Harold R. Dunham in 1953 and they had four children: Kelly, Kimberly, Casey and Courtney. They later divorced.  She married Leo Driscoll in Spokane in 1972, merging their two families, totaling 12 children.  
Mary was a fully engaged wife and mother, teaching eight children how to drive, doing numerous loads of laundry, cooking, attending sporting events, and planning weddings. Mary was active in Campfire Girls, Cannon Hill Garden Club, the Catholic Southside School Board, St. Anne’s Auxiliary, and was Chairman of the Board of Overseers at Gonzaga Prep.
Her favorite things in life were vacationing on the Oregon Coast, having cocktails in the Davenport Hotel lobby, and listening to jazz music. She loved watching sports, especially Gonzaga Prep, the Oregon Ducks, and Gonzaga University.
She was preceded in death by her parents and siblings: Margaret Spiegelberg, Kathleen Baffney, Edward Kelly and Eugene Kelly, and by her infant daughter, Mary Cecile Dunham, and stepson Danny Driscoll.
Mary is survived by her husband, Leo, and four children: Kelly (Pete) Tormey, Kimberly (Larry), Casey, and Courtney Dunham; her loving step children, Catherine (David) Stangland, Patrick (Jan) Driscoll, Mary McConnell (Brian), Karyn (Gary) Teague, Stacie (Bob) Friend, Colleen (Brian) Mitchell, Brigid (Jeff) Chvilicek.  Mary and Leo have 25 grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.
Mary decided to have her Irish wake on her 80Th birthday.  She wanted to be present and have fun being with the people she loved the most.  Or as she more pointedly said, “Why should I miss my big party?” She also said, “I was baptized an Irish Catholic Democrat.”
A rosary service will be held Monday, June 17th, at St. Peter’s Church, 3520 E. 18th Ave, Spokane, 7:30 p.m. A memorial funeral mass will be held Tuesday, June 18th, also at St. Peter’s Church, 11 am. A celebration of life reception will follow at the parish hall. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Catholic Charities of Spokane.
Rest in peace Mary Therese, Mom, Mama, Marm, Nana. We will love and miss you for an eternity.

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