Mary Rae Housley

1950 - 2015

Mary Rae (Dewane) Housley, 64, passed away suddenly of a heart attack on Sunday evening, July 12, 2015. Mary was born Oct. 8, 1950, in Menominee, Michigan to Patricia and Dr. James Dewane. She lived in Illinois before moving with her family to California and eventually making her home in Alaska in the communities of North Pole and Stevens Village.
Her late mother had told mom's younger siblings, how Mary loved to read and how she loved the stories like "Tisha" about people living deep in the woods, or pioneering on the plains and always wanted to marry someone who was a woodsman when she was little. Her brother went to Alaska in the '70s, and he came back saying how beautiful and rugged it was and how she should go. Well, she did, and fell in love with a handsome Native named Kenny.
She was head over heels for Kenny. She loved the wild and the beauty of Alaska.
She was also crazy about babies and loved her children more than anyone could ever imagine. Mary grew up in Chicago and studied to be a teacher. She loved to read, loved a good joke and was super witty. She was a killer at crossword puzzles and her intellect couldn't be beat at Scrabble and games (unless little Kenny was playing). She was a huge sports fan and knew the games inside and out, especially baseball and her Mariners. In her younger days, she was super strong and walked everywhere, often carrying her baby sister.
Mary was a kind and generous lady, always looking out for the well-being of others before herself. Whether it be family or strangers, she would give anything she had to help anyone in need. Her favorite cause to donate to when she could was Doctors Without Borders; she also enjoyed buying diapers for local charities at Christmas time.
We will miss the hand-me-down books and animated stories with lively hand gestures.
Mary's grandchildren will deeply miss their beloved grandma and her cheerios with sugar, and her family of cats is lost without their "butler for the cats" as Mary called herself.
Mary is survived by her husband and best friend, Ken Housley; children Sasha Housley, Cathy Huizenga and Jack, Lonnie Buresch and Matt, Kenny Housley, and Ellen Stanton and Jon; siblings Denis Dewane and Shelly, Peggy Dewane-Pope and Craig, Eileen Marshall and John, and Patricia Flaherty and Mark, cousin Foley Haslam; grandchildren Brendon, James, Makenna, Roxy, Dublin, Aidrian, and Victor, as well as numerous other friends and relatives.
Mary is preceded in death by her parents, Patricia and Dr. James Dewane; brothers Jim and Tommy Dewane, grandparents Sanny and Ray Foley, and son-in-law Vince Madero.
Service will be held at
11 a.m. today, July 18, at the David Salmon Tribal Hall, with visitation starting at 10 a.m. and a celebration of life and cover dish to follow at 1048 Sirlin Drive in North Pole.