Mary McInnis

McInnis, Mary

Mary McCarty McInnis, 90, of Marion died peacefully on Monday, March 16, 2015 at Greentree Health and Rehabilitation Center, Clintonville. She had been a resident of the center since August 2012.

She was born December 25, 1924 to Gertrude (Timm) and Ray McCarty, the third of four children. She spent her childhood in Kaukauna, Wisconsin, graduating from Kaukauna High School in 1942. She studied nursing at Marquette University earning her Bachelor of Science in Nursing in 1947. While a student at Marquette, she met and later married William R. McInnis, MD who preceded her in death in 1982. The couple lived in Milwaukee and Antigo, moving to Marion, Wisconsin in January of 1952, raising a family of twelve children. Mary was active on the school board of the Marion Public Schools, The Women's Club, the Lexine Bridge Club and St. Mary's Catholic Church. She returned to work as a school nurse in the Marion Public School in 1974 where she continued to be employed until her retirement. She also worked at the Marion Advertiser for several years as a reporter and copy editor. Following her retirement, she continued to volunteer at the Marion Public Library until 2012. Her volunteer work at the library remained the centerpiece of her life until her health made it impossible to continue the work. She is probably best remembered as a voracious reader and passionate advocate for the Marion Public Library. She was also an enthusiastic traveler, proud of the fact she had visited all fifty states in the US and all seven continents in the world, including a once-in-a-lifetime adventure to Antarctica.

She is survived by 11 of her 12 children: Katie McInnis and Bill Dittrich (Boston, MA), Maggie (Lynnwood, WA), Pat and Patty (Plymouth, MN), Maureen McInnis and Don Lundby (Great Falls, MT), Timm (Lewiston, ID), Aileen McInnis and Joe Page (Anchorage, AK), Bill (Plano, TX), Tom and Sue (Oshkosh, WI), Brian and Monica (Plano, TX), Cormac and Colleen (Green Bay, WI), and Chris and Michelle (Little Chute, WI), a daughter-in-law Brenda McInnis of Rock Springs, WY, twelve grandchildren and many nieces and nephews. She is also survived by her sister Bette Schwantes of Fort Lauderdale, FL and a sister-in-law, Rosemary Bell of Milwaukee. She was preceded in death by her husband, William, parents Gertrude and Ray McCarty, two brothers, Timm McCarty and Richard McCarty and her oldest son Michael who died in 2013.

Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Saturday, March 21st at 11:00 AM at St. Rose Catholic Church, 24 7th Street, Clintonville. Fr. Charles Hoffmann will officiate and burial will be at St. Mary's Cemetery, Marion. Friends may call on Saturday from 9:00 AM until time of mass at the church. A memorial fund has been established in her name at the Marion Public Library and the family requests that donations be made to the fund in lieu of flowers.