Mary Bremner Riege

Indio - Mary Bremner Riege, a beloved wife, mother, and grandmother, passed away peacefully on Tuesday evening at JFK Memorial Hospital, surrounded by her family, after a long and courageous battle with cancer.

Mary was born on September 23, 1950 in San Francisco, CA. As one of six children in an Air Force family, she grew up on bases around the world before her family settled in Novato, CA.

She graduated from California State University, Chico with a degree in English. In 1984, she married the love of her life, David Halsted Riege, Jr. She worked as a school teacher and a secretary before finding her true passion as a mother and homemaker while living in Fremont, CA.

In 1996, she moved with her family to East Lyme, CT. Mary dedicated her life to her family and friends. She was a giving person, free with her time, talents, and baked goods. She loved reading and, for over a decade, enjoyed sharing her passion with children by giving "book talks" at school book fairs. Most of all, she loved her children and was fiercely invested in their upbringing.

In 2014, she moved to Indio where she continued to be heavily involved in her community. She took up quilting in the Needles & Pins club and was active in book groups. She was a devout Catholic and a parishioner at Sacred Heart Church as well as a member of the Women of Faith.

She is predeceased by her sisters, Patricia Armstrong and Anne (Nancy) Johnson. She is survived by her husband, David H. Riege, Jr.; son, David H. Riege III of Bellevue, WA; daughter, Alayne M. Dhamecha of Torrance, CA; brother, Richard Bremner of Bend, OR; sisters, Peggy Katz of Chico, CA and Michele (Micki) DeRoche of Chattanooga, TN; and five grandsons.

A funeral Mass will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Monday, October 27 at Sacred Heart Church in Palm Desert. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to a charity of one's choice.