Mary Jane Geraghty

Her Irish eyes are smiling at Jesus and the angels are eating red licorice and Rollos. Mary Jane Geraghty entered heaven Saturday, Sept. 28, 2013.

She was born on a homestead near Glendive on Aug. 2, 1919, to Regina and William Burns. She was raised on the prairie, the only daughter of an undertaker and a schoolteacher. Her parents met while homesteading on adjacent plots in the early 1900s. Her father delivered her while her mother held her older brother Jack in her arms. Having been weighed on a grain scale, she was told she was 10 pounds at birth, give or take a few!

It was from these two hardworking and adventurous pioneers that Mary's character was forged. She was characteristically Irish,

100 percent. One of the many highlights of her life was to go to Ireland with her daughter and son-in-law, her grandsons and her sister-in-law.

In 1943, she married Thomas "Tim" Geraghty, and together they owned and operated Geraghty Funeral Home for 20 years. Mary and Tim were blessed with two children and later four grandchildren and one great-grandchild, all of whom were her greatest joys.

Mary was also a pioneer of sorts, instrumental in starting the St. Patrick Hospital Guild and one of the original founders of BASH, a major fundraiser for Missoula Catholic Schools.

An avid baseball and Loyola basketball fan, she attended literally thousands of sporting events, most of which involved her grandsons Bryan and Patrick. She was so looking forward to the 2013 St. Joseph and Loyola basketball season, eager to watch her great-grandnephews Jack, Charles, and Will Burns carry on the family basketball tradition. She was also looking forward to watching Colorado grandson Britton develop into an Olympic archer, (better start practicing, Britton!) and to watching Landon develop into a Major League Baseball dude.

St. Francis Xavier Church was also dear to her heart. She always sat in the same pew, three pillars from the front. She was our pillar.

In addition to being devoted to her family and her church, she was also devoted to her friends. The "Hippie Mothers," a group of tremendous friends who have been in cahoots for more than 50 years, provided Mary with years of love, loyalty and laughter. Together they hiked, skied and floated the mountains and rivers of Montana. Her miniature group ladies were great friends with whom she enjoyed many hours of creativity. Her Placid Lake pals Donna and Ben Davis, and John and Eenie Heinrich were also lifelong, devoted friends.

She was passionate about her faith, her family and her friends, a quality for which she will always be remembered.

Mary was preceded in death by her husband, Tim; and her brothers, Jack and Bob Burns. She is survived by her daughter, Janie (Ron); son, Tom (Linda); grandsons, Bryan (Shelley), Patrick, Britton and Landon Geraghty; and great-granddaughter, Miss Riley Marie Geraghty. Other survivors include her lifelong friend and sister-in-law, Mary Burns; sister-in-law, Virginia Burns; and several nieces and nephews.

The family would like to particularly thank Mindi and Brian Burns and family, Father George DuMais S.J., the ICU staff at Community Medical Center and the wonderfully caring staff at the Village Health Care Center. Your compassion will never be forgotten.

Visitation will be 4-6 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 6, at Garden City Funeral Home. A funeral Mass will be celebrated at St. Francis Xavier Church at 10:30 a.m. Monday, Oct. 7, with a reception immediately following.

Memorials may be sent to Missoula Catholic Schools at 320 Edith St., Missoula, Attn: Melissa.

Read Mary Geraghty's Obituary and Guestbook on www.missoulafuneralhomes.com.