Mary Kokontis

MARY KOKONTIS

Cedar Rapids

Mary Ellen Kokontis, 89, longtime resident of Cedar Rapids, died Sunday, June 1, 2014, at The Woodlands at the Meth-Wick Community. Mass of the Resurrection will be held at 10:30 a.m. Saturday, June 7, at St. Matthew Catholic Church with the Rev. Father David Beckman officiating. Visitation: 4 to 7 p.m. Friday at Cedar

Memorial Park Funeral Home with a vigil service at 4 p.m. Entombment: Cedar Memorial Park

Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations in Mary's name may be sent to St. Matthew Catholic Church, the Alzheimer's Association or Meth-Wick Community of Cedar Rapids.

Online condolences for the family may be submitted at www.cedarmemorial.com under "Obituaries."

Mary was born June 5, 1924, in Quincy, Ill., to Charles and Gertrude (Terstriep) Baumgartner. She married William Kokontis on June 26, 1948. In 1959, she and Bill moved from Orlando, Fla., to a farm outside Hiawatha, where she pitched in with all the chores, restored an old farmhouse and was midwife to thousands of piglets. When they moved to town, she worked for Americana Care Center for over 15 years as an administrative assistant, where her cheerful smile and great sense of humor brightened the days of many residents and

visitors.

Mary was a member of St. Matthew Catholic Church. Creating a comfortable home for her husband and their six children was her greatest joy. An outstanding cook with a special talent for pies, she was also an accomplished seamstress and she was known for her green thumb. She took great pride in her lush philodendron, dieffenbachia and Christmas cacti. She was also a savvy bargain hunter and never let a good deal slip by. Mary loved to play pinochle, bridge, ping-pong and for many years, she played league bowling. She was an avid reader and letter writer. When her grandchildren came along, she loved to design outfits for the girls and made matching doll clothes and she delighted in the antics of her grandsons.

Mary is survived by six children – sons, William (Cathy) of LaGrange, Ill., and their daughters, Dr. Kate M. Kokontis of New Orleans, La., and Megan M. Kokontis, esquire of Chicago; Thomas (Mary Tavegia) of LaGrange, Ill., and their daughter, Ellen of Chicago; Steve (Theresa Baldus-Kokontis) and their children, Adam (Carol), Abigail (Michael) Griffith and Peter all of Cedar Rapids; Dr. John (Dr. Elaine Chang) and their daughter, Claire, all of Palo Alto, Calif.; daughters, Connie Kokontis (Greg Epping) of Cedar Rapids and Dr. Lisa Kokontis (Dr. Chris Westra) and their daughters, Libby, Hannah and

Rachel of Appleton, Wis.; great-grandchildren, Leonard Kokontis and Zoe

Griffith; sister, JoAnn Wright of Quincy, Ill.; sisters-in-law, Dorothy Fewox of Jacksonville, Fla., and Catherine Mishler of Orlando, Fla.; and many nieces and

nephews.

She was preceded in death by her husband,

William in 2000; her parents; and her twin sister,

Rosemary.

The family is grateful for the wonderful care provided by all of the staff at the Meth-Wick Community over the years, especially Chris, Evelyn, Lisa, Wanda, Sally and Jody W. and all of the other angels who helped Mom along her

journey.