Mary Tokuza

Mary Louise Tokuza (née Thielen) passed away on September 17, 2025, in Santa Monica, California, a few days before her 79th birthday.

Mary was born on September 21, 1946, in Madison, Wisconsin, to Camilla and Theodore Thielen. She attended Marquette University, where she met her husband, Leslie Tokuza. The couple moved to Los Angeles, where Mary lived the rest of her life. They had two children, Thomas and Laura.

Mary was active in her parish and the children's school, frequently serving as a room parent and supporting school liturgies. She could be found volunteering at the school library or the annual fundraiser festival and always cherished being part of this community.

Mary enjoyed sewing and created many beautiful pieces for herself and her daughter, including holiday dresses and a First Communion dress. Her room was full of sewing supplies and patterns, and she could always help mend a hole in a pair of pants or shorten a hem that was a few inches too long.

She also enjoyed reading mysteries and watching them on television. Her home library is full of novels by the likes of Tony Hillerman and Ellis Peters, and her watch list includes her BBC favorites, such as Midsomer Murders and Inspector Morse. She didn't make it to the movie theater in recent years, but she always recounted that seeing Jurassic Park on the big screen was one of her favorite cinematic experiences.

Though she didn't want to be called "grandma," she loved being Mimi to her two granddaughters. She enjoyed watching them grow and develop and treasured her time with them.

May her memory bring comfort to those who knew her. A funeral will be held on November 15, 2025, at 12:30 PM, at St. Paul the Apostle Church, 10750 Ohio Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90024.

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