Mary Colegrove Reed Katschke died peacefully at Grover C Dils Medical Center on the afternoon of August 7, 2015 from causes incidental to old age. She was 96 years old.
Mary is survived by her four children, Richard (Panaca, Nevada), Adrian (Quinton, Virginia), Mildred Frye (Ojo Caliente, New Mexico), and George (Richmond, Virginia). She is also survived by 12 grandchildren and 36 great grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her parents, step mother, brothers and sister, and 1 great grandchild.
Mary was born on March 2, 1919 in Bronx, New York to Adrian Meredith Reed and Florence Colegrove James. She graduated from Rye Neck High School of Mamaroneck, New York in 1937 and spent several years working in New York City. When World War II broke out she followed the examples of her brothers and her sweetheart (William Cramm, who was killed during the D-Day invasion) and enlisted in the Army (WAC) in 1943. She served until 1945.
She met and married William Katschke during her military service at Dugway, Utah. They had four children. After their divorce in 1961, Mary raised her children in Dahlgren, Virginia where she worked on the naval base as a contract specialist. She and her children became members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints while in Dahlgren. She then moved to Mamaroneck, New York where she took care of her father and stepmother. Upon their deaths Mary moved to Provo, Utah where she was a dorm mother at Brigham Young University for 5 years.
In 1981 she moved back to Virginia to live with her daughter, Mildred. After 4 years of service there she moved to Panaca, Nevada to be close to oldest son, Richard, and his family. She was endeared as ?Grandma Mary? and was a delight to her grandchildren. In 1996 she moved in with Richard and his wife, Karen, and their 3 youngest children who grew particularly close to her.
After several setbacks to her health, she was moved to long term care in Grover C Dils Medical Center in 2013 where she resided until her passing.
Mary was known for her sweetness and her dedication to her children and family.
A funeral service was held in Panaca, Nevada. Her grandson, Nathan Katschke, officiated the service. She was interred at the Panaca Cemetery. The family would like to thank the staff of Grover C Dils Medical Center for their kindness and service to her during residency there.