Mary Tonnesen

1926 - 2024

MARY JOHNSTON DAY TONNESEN, age 98, died peacefully on October 16th, 2024, surrounded by her three loving children, at Woodlands Assisted Living in Huntington, WV.
She was born January 26, 1926, daughter of the late Sadie Valentine Parker and Sidney Logan Day, noted Huntington Architect, and sister of the late Kathryn Parker Day, all of Huntington.
Mary was a resident at the Woodlands Retirement Community since December 2005.
She retired from the Office of Hearings and Appeals, U.S. Government, in Huntington.
She had previously been employed in the District Court and Probate Court of Multnomah County, Portland, Oregon and Church Secretary, under Rev. Lynch, at the Woodland Presbyterian Church, Nashville, Tennessee.
She graduated from Huntington High School in 1944 as Salutatorian of her Class and from Marshall College in 1948 cum laude from the Teacher's College with Business & Science degrees.
She was a faithful and active member of First Presbyterian church, where she was the fifth generation of the founding members. She served as deacon, elder, Sunday School teacher and secretary, moderator and circle chairman of the Presbyterian Women, and an active member of the Caring Committee and Prayer Group for many years.
She was a member of the Huntington Museum of Art and served as a docent for twenty years, member and treasurer of Church Women United, and a Reading Mentor at Central City Elementary School.
In her younger years she enjoyed playing badminton, tennis, and hiking in the woods. She loved God, her family, her church, and nature. She enjoyed traveling, working puzzles, and playing scrabble with friends.
Mary is survived by her daughter Theresa Faith Tonnesen-O'Brien with husband John Arthur O'Brien of Eugene, OR; daughter Barbara Hope Tonnesen of Sunnyvale, CA; and son David Love Tonnesen with wife Carrie Elizabeth Nedrow of Los Angeles, CA; and four grandchildren and three great-grandchildren: Lana Day O'Brien with spouse Kevin Clark & great-grand daughter Elsie Day Clark of Alameda, CA; Stephen Andrew O'Brien with fiancé Megan Proctor of Eugene, OR; Claudia Heye Mitchell with spouse Peter Mitchell, great-grandson Ken Harold Heye Mitchell & great-granddaughter Piper Isabelle Mitchell of Winchester, MA; and Isabelle Tonnesen Heye with spouse Steve Diebold of San Francisco, CA.
On Friday, October 25th there will be visitation and reception starting at 12:00 noon, followed by a Memorial Service at 1:30 p.m., at First Presbyterian Church, conducted by Rev. Doug Pendleton.
The service will also be live streamed at : https://youtube.com/@fpcwv (under the Live tab) or at Facebook; https://facebook.com/firstpreshuntington/
A private family burial service will be at Spring Hill Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, charitable donations may be given directly to First Presbyterian Church, 1015 5th Ave. Huntington, W. Va. 25701, or to the charity of one's choice. Family guestbook at www.klingelcarpenter.com