Mary Gail Kellen

Mary Gail (Costello) Kellen, of Scottsdale died on August 10, 2025, at the age of 75. Mary Gail was born on October 10, 1949 to Roy and Josephine Costello in Parsons, Kansas, the youngest of four children. When she was just a baby the family moved to Columbus, Nebraska, where her father worked on the Union Pacific Railroad. She attended St. Anthony's Grade School and Scotus Central Catholic High School, graduating in 1967. After attending Wayne State College for a year, she transferred to Bellevue College to be near her mother. In 1969 Mary Gail went to Phoenix to spend the summer with her sister Betty Lou and her family. There she met Pete Kellen while they were both working at Safeway. Eight months later they were married, and their marriage lasted 49 years until his death in 2019. Over the next 21 years Mary Gail continued to work at Safeway, while Pete went into education. Pete promised Mother Josie that he would make Mary Gail finish her education. 20 years later Mary Gail went back to school, first nights at Phoenix College while still working days, and then full time at Arizona State University. She earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in Education magna cum laude from ASU in 1993, and then her Masters degree in Education from Northern Arizona University in 1995. For the next twelve years she served as a beloved math teacher to some of Phoenix's luckiest students, first at Madison Meadows Middle School, and then at Shadow Mountain High School. Along the way, she and Pete built a life around their loving household, their enjoyment of nature, their extended family, and of course Mary Gail's most beloved pet, Chin Chu. In 2006 Mary Gail joined Pete in retirement, and the two then enjoyed many years traveling and exploring the world. Mary Gail was preceded in death by her husband, Pete; her sister, Rosemary (Morrow); and her brother, Mike. She is survived by her sister, Betty Lou Wolpert, and her husband, Jim; her brother-in-law, Emil Morrow; her sisters-in-law, Cynthia Costello and Connie (Kellen), Gerber and her husband, Chuck; her nieces, Jennifer Toel, Catherine Wolpert, Patricia Atherton (Chuck), and Laura Alcaraz (Rene); and her nephews, Michael Costello (Shelly), Timothy Costello (Kris), Christopher Costello (Kristi), Joseph Gerber (Toni), and Benjamin Gerber (Darlene). Many great- and great-great-nieces and nephews cherished her as a beloved aunt. Mary Gail's friends and family remember her caring generosity, her ebullience, and her brass-tacks candor mixed with (some) tact. Her nieces and nephews remember her as the fun aunt. Her neighbors remember the best neighbor they ever had: thoughtful, helpful, trustworthy, and always reliable. Especially for dog sitting. A Memorial Mass and reception will be held on Saturday, August 30, 2025 at 10am at Westminster Village in Scottsdale. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests a donation to the Arizona Humane Society (www.azhumane.org/donate). Arrangements were cared for by Mountain View Funeral Home and Cemetery 7900 E Main Street Mesa, AZ 85207, (480) 613-3722